


New Life, New Chance

by Blackrockshooterstar



Category: Tales of Berseria, Tales of Zestiria
Genre: F/M, Lord of Calamity, Nephilim, Redemption, Second Chances, Sorey Crowe, Sorey is not entirely human, Tainted Sorey (Tales of Zestiria), Velvet gets a happy life, Velvet is Sorey's mom, Velvet returns
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-08-01
Updated: 2020-08-02
Packaged: 2021-03-05 22:34:08
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 15
Words: 45,168
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25652935
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Blackrockshooterstar/pseuds/Blackrockshooterstar
Summary: This is actually a challenge from FanFiction by Nerf585. In this story, this almost what I wanted the anime to be like but with a twist.One day, Velvet awakens in a new world unfamiliar to her. The first human she meet was Simon, whom she later on falls in with and brought a miracle, a child. But her new chance of happiness met its end and now Velvet search for her husband's murderer, not in anger and hatred as before but for the saftey of her son, Sorey Crowe The Shepherd, as well guiding him on his path.How will Sorey react when he finds out he's the son of the original Lord of Calamity? What will happen when Velvet gets involved with his journey as the Shepherd?
Relationships: Velvet Crowe & Sorey, Velvet Crowe/Original Character(s)
Comments: 3
Kudos: 11





	1. The Return of the Therion

"Hey, miss..."

Velvet stirred as she slowly opened her eyes after the long sleep she had with Innominat, never realizing that he was now gone. All Velvet thought about was that this had to be a dream that seemed so real because it felt as if she was shaken awake. Her vision was blurry for a moment before seeing a man with brown hair and deep green eyes staring at her with concern and her eyes snapped opened wide in realization.

The therion tries to stand up but didn't have the strength for some reason and crawls back, noticing that she didn't have a weapon or even clothes on her body which revealed the true form of her daemon arm. The black arm with red streaks that seemed like it had been there since forever. The man seemed unfazed as Velvet glared at him, not keeping her guard down.

"Are you okay?" The man asked and Velvet growls.

"Why would a human like you care? I am a dangerous person after all." Velvet pointed out as she covered her chest with her normal arm. The man smiled in understanding.

"Of course since you're a hellion, judging from your strange arm." The man concluded, surprising Velvet while the man observed her body while he had the chance as he was somewhat confused. "Strange though, hellions usually takes on forms of monsters rather than stay in human form. You're very different from them."

"So daemons are called hellions now..." Velvet said hushed to herself without noticing that the man had taken off his brown cloak that had an opening by his right side and was handing it out to her.

"Put this on." Velvet looked at him strangely and looked at his clothing, a blue shirt and dark brown pants plus a sword on his back and a white fingerless glove on his left hand that seemed to have been covered by the cloak. "There's a village not too far from here and a good friend of mine lives nearby, there we can ask for some clothes for you. Don't worry, I've been taking care of a girl that was almost like you."

Velvet hesitated but took the cloak and puts it over her upper body. Once she was done, the man hold out his hands to help Velvet up on her feet but she stumbled forwards and the man catches her and hold her arms in order for Velvet to walk without her tripping out of balance. They didn't have to walk for long before they began hearing voices of laughing children just a mile away, there was a big house that sounded like an orphanage because of the sounds of many kids playing at the back of the house.

The man knocked on the door and a woman in her late 40's with dark blue hair and light brown eyes opened it.

"Simon, hello!" The woman exclaimed happily and now Velvet knew the man's name. "What are you doing here?"

"Well, I was going to visit you on my trip back to Camlann but took a shortcut through the forest and I sort of found her on the way." Simon explained as he turned his head to Velvet and the woman crossed her arms with grin.

"Picking up pretty girls, now?" The woman asked and Simon begins to panic as Velvet just watched the scene.

"Amanda, it's not what it looks like?!" Simon yelled in panic. Velvet began to giggle of the similar scene that happened to her and Phi a long time ago and the two stares at her.

"I know, you should at least ask about her name." The woman, Amanda, pointed out and Simon chuckles in embarrassment. "Who are you?"

"I don't remember much but my name, Selene." Velvet lied in case if someone knew who she was which was a high possibility.

"Poor you, having amnesia isn't easy, come in so we can get some clothes for you." Amanda said as she began to help Velvet inside the house, the interior of the house was exactly like what an orphanage would look like with a few toys here and there.

The blue haired woman help the therion up the stairs as Simon goes out on the backyard to greet the children, Amanda lead Velvet to the bathroom which the tub was already filled with water.

"Go and relax as I get you a change of clothes, one of my daughters will come and check on you later." Amanda explained as Velvet walked in.

"Amanda, was it." Velvet asked.

"Yes. What is it, Selene?" She replied.

"Do you have any bandages or a long glove?" Amanda looked at the girl with confusion.

"Yeah, I think we have some bandages but don't mind me asking, what are they for?"

"It's because of my left arm, I don't want them to be scared of me because of it." Amanda nodded before closing the door.

Velvet gasps in relief from the situation she was in and decided to relax like the woman said and takes off Simon's coat before going in the water. While she's in there, Velvet recollected her thoughts about what happened. The first thing she had in mind was Innominat, she was supposed to be in an endless sleep together with her reincarnated brother without a way to wake up as they were in an endless cycle, devouring each other. But ended when Velvet suddenly began to think about her friends and how long she had been gone from her home, it wasn't like in her era as Velvet had visited almost every place twice. She knew that it had been a long time so Rokurou and Eleanor was dead since they were enemies as exorcist, probably called Shepherd now, and hellion. Magilou and Bienfu, she didn't know but probably have their mark on the world. Eizen is still alive but he must have turned into a dragon by now, after all he still has his curse. The one that she was worried and missed the most was Laphicet, the malak friend she cared for so much and she didn't know what he was doing now after all this time.

Her thoughts was interrupted by the knocking on the door, which made her jump a little because she was so deep in thought.

"Is it okay if I come in?" The voice of a girl asked behind the door.

"Y-yeah." Velvet replied and the door opened for a girl with wavy brown hair and emerald green eyes coming in with a tray with soap, clothes, towels and a roll of bandages.

"I'm Lizzy, one of Amanda's adopted daughters." The girl introduced herself.

"Adopted? This is an orphanage, right?" Velvet questioned as Lizzy placed the tray on the bathroom cabinet and nodded.

"It is but me and my little sister are officially her daughters, everyone here treats each other like family." Lizzy explained and Velvet looked down at herself as it reminded her of her old life. "You maybe haven't noticed but Simon comes by this place often whenever he takes a trip somewhere, the kids loves him."

"Until he betrays you..." Velvet mumbled and Lizzy heard that.

"Simon wouldn't do that." Velvet looked up at her in confusion. "He's too kind and selfless for his own good or else he wouldn't have helped you from the start. He's the one who brought the children here after all."

"I didn't know..." Lizzy took a brush from the tray before walking over to the therion and begins to take out Velvet's hair from the water. "What are you doing?"

"I'm fixing your hair, silly. You shouldn't let your hair in the water or else you'll get split ends, your hair is really beautiful so you should keep it up whenever you're bathing." The girl started to brush it while it was wet before braiding it and Velvet felt a little embarrased of the situation. While Lizzy was braiding Velvet's hair, she noticed her left arm and gasped a little of its appearance. "Did you get in an accident?"

"Huh?" Velvet glanced at her side to look at Lizzy's eyes in question.

"Your arm is full of scars like if you had reached out it in fire, burning it." The therion gets shocked and looks at it.

 _'So normal people can't see my arm's true form nowadays?'_ Velvet asked herself inside her head. _'Magilou did say that once the Empyreans was awakened, people would start to not seeing the malakhim anymore except those with strong resonance. Then, does Simon have that?'_

"I don't wanna talk about it, they're bad memories that is hard to forget." Velvet finally said after thinking of a good thing to say.

"I apologize for asking."

"You didn't know, I just remember bits and pieces after all."

"I'm finished with your hair, when you're done you can go downstairs and eat something."

"Okay." Lizzy left the room and Velvet washed her body before getting out. She was impressed by the girl as she managed to make her long thick black hair into a single slim braid going down her back.


	2. A Journey Begins

Velvet grinned as she usually never accepted someone to fix her hair without permission but she'll do an exception for this time since Lizzy was kind enough to fix it the way she did. After drying her body with the towel, Velvet hangs her braid over her shoulders so it would be easier to dress as she senses the familiar power of Simon by the other side of the door.

"You know I can sense you, Simon." Velvet said loud enough for him to hear. "There's no way to hide from me." Simon half grinned as he leaned against the door with his arms crossed.

"I wanted to ask you what kind of hellion you are, Selene." Simon explained as Velvet wraps her arm in the bandages. "Since you're the only hellion I've meet that doesn't seem to attack me the first thing you do."

"I'm a therion and also I was weak back there." Velvet replied, deja vu coming through like she had this conversation before.

"A therion?" Simon asked in confusion as he never had heard of a hellion like that.

"A monster that feed on foes to gain power, we use their powers as if it was ours." Velvet explained as she puts on the boots that was on the floor next to the cabinet while using the power of the sorcerer's ring to get the blades in them. "We live on malevolence to stay alive and I probably don't need much to get my strength back since I feel strange powers inside me."

"Is it from one of your meals?" Simon joked as the door opens and he falls to the floor with Velvet leans over him with a glare.

"Very funny." Simon chuckled a little as he sits up to look at Velvet's new clothing which impressed him.

A pretty red and white corset like shirt that has straps that connected to the back, white pants with a brown belt over them and long brown boots. A red and brown long jacket was covering her shoulders. Simon couldn't help but stare at Velvet's beauty even though her arm was covered with bandages but that couldn't be helped.

"Are you okay, Simon?" Velvet asked and the man before her snapped out of it and stood up.

"Sorry, I was just surprised by your appearance now that you have clothes on." Simon apologized and Velvet raised an eyebrow.

"Surprised by my appearance?" She slowly repeated in surprised and Simon nodded. "Wow, that was a first one."

"Should we go down? The kids was in the forest with Alice, Lizzy's little sister, playing like they were in wonderland." Simon explained as they go down the stairs. "So they'll come back by..." He waited until they got to the dining room before hearing the sound of a door opening. "...now."

Five children came running in, two girls and three boys, and as they got to Simon they tackled him down on the floor. The man laughed as the kids hugs him on the floor and Velvet sees another girl staring at them by the doorway, she has long black hair and the same emerald green eyes as Lizzy. In her arms was a bunny toy as she wears a blue dress with a white apron over it as well a horseshoe like necklace around her neck.

"Okay, now get off!" Simon ordered and all the kids did what he said before sitting on the floor as Simon sits up himself. "Guys, this is Selene, a girl I found in the forest. Selene, these are the orphans of this place. The boys are Markus, Leon and Gunner, the girls are Kelly and Mei."

"Hi!" The kids greeted her and Velvet felt really out of place as she waved to them.

"Simon, can you tell us about your trip?" Mei asked jumping up and down.

"Yeah! Tell us!" Gunner exclaimed.

"Patience, ladies and gentlemen. I'll just prepare myself to tell you in the backyard." Simon replied and kids hurried up to get to the backyard as the man chuckles as he stands up and Velvet looked at him. "Man, those kids."

"Looks like you have to babysit them." Amanda said as she stands in the doorway with arms crossed instead of the little girl and Velvet grinned as she snickered while Simon became nervous around the women.

Later on, Velvet was sitting on the porch as she was watching and listening on Simon's adventure. He had been on a trip to a place called Lastonbell to visit a man from the royal guards to help with a big problem out in the forest nearby, something told the therion he wasn't exactly telling the kids everything.

"He likes you." A girl voice said beside Velvet, surprising her before she turned her head to the side to see the girl with the bunny rabbit from before sitting beside her.

"You're that girl..." Velvet mumbled as she watched the girl looking at Simon.

"Simon isn't usually interested in women but you got his attention on the other hand." The girl said and Velvet looked at the group.

"He just likes me because of my appearance." Velvet replied.

"Simon has always had a good judgment on people he meets and when he gets to know you, then you see who kind of a person he is himself." The girl explained as she holds out an apple to the therion. "Want one?"

"Thank you..." Velvet took the apple in her hand but just stares at it as she didn't dare to eat it.

"Alice." Velvet glanced at the girl. "That's my name."

 _'I better get used to be called Selene, at least until they finds out.'_ Velvet thought before saying. "I'm Selene and before you ask, I don't remember much of what happened or my past."

"So that's what Lizzy meant you having amnesia."

"You have a wonderful sister, you know that." Alice looked at the therion in question. "I had a sister once but she died when I was young."

"Do you remember her name?" Velvet nodded as she stares at the apple.

"Her name was Celica."

"What happened to her?" Velvet didn't know what to reply as she wanted to keep her identity a secret as much as possible.

 _"You can trust her, Velvet. She's isn't like anyone else."_ The voice of Seres convinced her in Velvet's head, causing Velvet to hold her head with one hand because of the rush of dizziness. Alice looked at her worried when Velvet glanced at her.

"I'm alright, just felt dizzy all of a sudden. Celica died when she *sigh* fell down a hole in shrine together with her unborn child." Alice hugged her rabbit tighter in guilt. "The thing is, she was reborn into a spiritual being together with her child. Since then, she was with me and my brother when we grew up. But I killed her in order to obtain power to escape a prison..."

Velvet holds out her left hand and a small flame burn in her palm, the others noticed this and hurried over to see the flame. Simon on the other hand was surprised but proud and stepped forward.

"Guys, can you go in? I need to ask Selene something." Simon asked and they all walked away.

"Alice." Velvet said and the little girl stopped to look at her. "Can you keep everything I told you a secret? I don't want people to know those things." Alice nodded before going inside and Velvet dismissed the flame.

"Selene, I would like you to accompany me back to Camlann." Simon said and Velvet/Selene looked at him confused.

"Why's that?" She asked.

"Because I would like to get to know you, also you need all the help you can get." Simon explained with a smile. "What do you say?" Velvet smiled gently, she really missed going on a journey.

"Yeah, I'll go with you." Velvet replied.

The day after, Amanda and Lizzy helped pack food for the journey as Velvet and Simon dressed themselves after being woken up by Alice. As soon as the sun came high in the sky, Velvet and Simon waved goodbye to the orphanage as they did the same. The two started their new adventure forwards the village of Camlann, that soon will become the origin village.


	3. The Windriders

It had been a few days since the duo left the orphanage, Simon had been leading Velvet through forests and towns which had been hard for the therion as she was still not used to walking again after the sleep. Now they were resting by a campfire for the night in the woods. Velvet had taken out the braid into a ponytail instead, feeling like her hair was imprisoned in it. Simon was sitting and explaining things while Velvet was lying down on the ground, looking at the sky.

"So if I get this straight, seraphim are heavenly beings that control the elements and hellions are created by human malevolence." Velvet repeated but shortly and Simon nodded. "The Shepherd is a person that holds the seraphim inside them as a vessel to use their powers like their own."

"Wow, you're understanding much faster than I thought." Simon said surprised while poking the fire with a stick.

"The thing I don't understand is why you didn't become a Shepherd." Velvet questioned with a raised eyebrow.

"I don't want that big responsibility to protect the world and Maotelus, Michael is much better than me on that." Simon replied, not wanting to explain the subject. "You aren't free when you become one."

 _'I know that feeling.'_ Velvet said in her head. "Friend of yours, Michael I mean."

"We're almost like brothers and rivals at the same time, strange isn't it?" Simon asked but hear soft snores from the young girl and turned his head to see Velvet sleeping already, the traveler smiled. "Figured that you'd be exhausted, you're not used to walk much right now. And tomorrow we'll get to a town to get you a weapon so you can fight against the hellions." Simon lies down on the ground and drifted of to sleep himself.

** \- Velvet's dream - **

Velvet was standing on a field as she looks out the ocean, the sky was clear blue and small gentle breezes blew through her hair and new coat. She looks at it sadly as she hears someone walking behind her and Velvet narrowed her eyes a little.

"I missed this when we were asleep, but still I don't understand why I'm back and how long it's been since my time..." Velvet told the person and turns her head to face Seres, without her mask to reveal her red eyes and the face of Celica. "How is it possible?"

 _"Not even I have an answer, this new power is similar to Innominat but also my own. It is possible that Innominat's power has been transferred to you and another host."_ Seres tried to explain but was uncertain herself. _"Possibility is Laphicet is that host."_

"But without Innominat, Laphicet will die!" Velvet yelled and Seres shakes her head.

 _"All of this may be connected to the 'Maotelus' Empyrean Simon have told you about, he did say that his temple was in Camlann."_ Seres replied.

"You're suggesting that I should ask him myself." Velvet guessed and Seres nodded in correction. "I have to be careful with the Shepherd as well, he's the one protecting the temple."

 _"We can just hope you can get answers, but remember it seems people don't know who or what you are so be on guard."_ Seres warned her and Velvet look at her sadly.

* * *

The next day, Velvet and Simon arrived at a small town where people was walking around as the two was looking around. They were looking for weapon shop so the therion could get a weapon just to be sure in case they meet a hellion on their way, as they found it and got a gauntlet blade for Velvet to try out.

"How does it feel?" The smith asked as Velvet took out the blade to look at it before retracting it. She had a fingerless glove made by leather like fabric underneath the gauntlet to not leave marks on her skin.

"It's really good and light, I like it." Velvet replied and the smith grinned.

"Glad you like it, I was trying to make some small assassin blades but that became the result." He explained.

"You should probably continue make these, they are really good for surprise attacks and with the perfect balance, you can fight with three blades at once." Velvet suggested and surprised the men.

"Battle experienced and good looking, you got a real treat there." The smith pointed out to Simon, who started to panic.

"You got it all wrong! She's just a friend and companion, not my girlfriend!" Simon shouted and the smith laughed. Velvet wasn't paying attention to the conversation but was thinking.

 _'Now I can fight at least but I don't know how effective it is now that I've lost much of my strength, we have to see.'_ Velvet thought and looked up at the sky. _'I'm coming, Laphicet. Wherever you are.'_

"Selene?" The therion was snapped out when Simon called out to her.

"Let's go." Velvet agreed, knowing what he was going to say, and they walked away. As they walked back to the forest, Velvet heard something interesting and stopped to listen to a pair of merchants.

"I'm telling you, a monster lives in the forest!" A younger male yelled and the older one growled.

"Stop with this nonsense about a monster that poison every creature when it bites you, you're going to be fired if you continue this charade!" The older man shouted and Simon looks at Velvet as he had stopped to know what the black haired girl picked up.

"You think it's a hellion?" Simon asked and Velvet narrowed her eyes.

"More than that, I know it." The therion replied. "We better be careful when we travel." They then left for real without disturbance.

Under the week they've been walking, Simon and Velvet meet some people and ambushed by hellions but Velvet saved Simon a couple of times since it was obvious that he hasn't been fighting much. Velvet had to teach him the things Artorius taught her when he was Arthur, of course she didn't mention where she got the teachings. Right now, they were almost out of the forest as the duo was talking about what they were going to do once they get to Camlann. Everything had been peaceful as they talked before Velvet heard something in the bushes and a big snake came out. Velvet and Simon jumped away as it tried to attack.

"An Oroboros, it must be this hellion that caused all those people to die." Velvet explained as smaller snakes appeared around them.

"So it can call out weaker snake hellions?" Simon asked and Velvet nodded.

"I'll take care of the leader, can you handle the rest?" Velvet questioned and the traveler took out his sword from the scabbard.

"I'm ready!" Simon said determined.

Velvet takes out her foot blades and starts hit the Oroboros with her artes while Simon defeats the smaller snakes without problems thanks for the training he was given. His sight was on Velvet when she got therionized, the big claw devoured the energy of her enemy as she jumps into the air with her gauntlet blade out.

"Break Boost!" Velvet yelled while thrusting her blade into the ground, creating cracks underneath making Oroboros land on its back. Simon was really impressed with the arte as she stands up but the traveler noticed something coming forwards her.

"Selene, look out!" Simon warned her. A snake struck its fangs into Velvet's upper arm which made her quite angry as Oroboros escaped from fear of getting eaten.

"Damn you, pesky reptiles!" Velvet growled and forced the snake off, devouring it in the process. Blood was running down her human arm from the wound as Velvet returned to normal, Simon hurried over to her as he saw Velvet breathing heavily and held her up as the therion leaned against him.

"You overdid yourself there, you still haven't recovered yet to full strength." Simon declared and looked around. "We might need to find a ride and some help." Simon takes Velvet's legs on his arm and begins to carry her in bridal style, making the girl blush.

"What are you doing?!" Velvet exclaimed tired before mumbling, "This is really embarrassing."

"You need some rest and besides, it's not like I'm going to leave you behind and go get you later." Simon explained with a smile and Velvet was speechless. How could a man like him be so selfless in this world? A world she almost made into everlasting chaos.

Simon carried the therion out of the forest to come to a path where many wagons and horses would come to get to the kingdoms behind the borders. He was walking while Velvet was resting for a bit as Simon heard the sound of carriages and horses coming forwards them, notching Velvet awake as he came to a stop. There was a band of merchants coming their way, the first carriage stopped by them and a young man jumps off.

"Hey there, looks like you two had it tough." The man said and Simon shakes his head while Velvet glared at him with a small blush on her cheeks, still thinking it's embarrassing.

"Not at all, just a long trip but we were attacked by snakes just recently." Simon explained and the man raised an eyebrow.

"Snakes?! Man, this place is really falling apart if the wildlife starts to attack people." The man joked and the duo looked at him confused. "Anyway, we're the Windriders. The best merchant guild in the land!"

"I'm Simon and this is Selene." The green eyed companion introduced them, the man nodded and turned to his guildmates.

"Let's set up camp! We head out the first thing in the morning!" The man ordered and everyone started to fix the campsite for the night.

One of the members gave Simon some supplies for cleaning Velvet's wound, she had taken off her jacket to make her new friend easier to fix it. Velvet was still very embarrassed as she usually never did anything like this since she had a seraph that healed her wounds instead of treating them normally, if Magilou heard this happening she wouldn't stop teasing the therion about it.

"You know that isn't really bothering me, I've had worse." Velvet pointed out as she was still blushing but it was more red now while looking away as Simon wraps bandages around the wound.

"We doesn't have a seraph with us right now, so this is the only solution to not get it infected." He explained when he ties the bandages together. "Once we get to Camlann, I'll ask Lailah to heal it then.

"That fire seraph that works with the Shepherd?" Velvet asked but before he could answer, the man came over to them.

"So where were you two going before meeting us?" The man asked as Simon stood up.

"We're on our way to Camlann." Velvet answered while glancing at him.

"It's really far away from here, it would take about two months if you walk on foot." The man pointed out. "But we can take you to the borders to save you some days to get there faster." Simon smiled brightly and Velvet gasped in relief.

"Thank you, it'll make our travels easier." Simon thanked him while the man grinned with a thumbs up to them. Velvet looked at them strangely, it was like her world haven't existed at all and the events that took place never happened.

 _'What's going on? It's like no one knew I existed, I just hope I can get answers from Maotelus as fast as possible.'_ Velvet thought in her head as she watches the guys in front of her talk.

Night soon fell on them, Velvet took her distance from the group to look at the stars by a hill. Simon was talking with the merchants about their travels by the big campfire but glances at Velvet a few times to make she's alright until he sees her gloomy face, he accuses himself and got up so he could join her by the hill. The familiar black aura of malevolence was around the therion as she stares at the sky.

"The last calm thing I did before I lost my memory, I was looking at the night sky with someone." Velvet half lied, not keeping her eyes of the sky. "He was so kind and always smiled at me while he confronted me about calling him a silly nickname, he tried to convince me that he would try turning me back to a human."

"And why didn't you?" Simon asked her and Velvet shakes her head.

"That's about it, I can't remember the rest. Not even his name or face." Velvet lied, how could she forget the little malak that saved her life more than once. "I'm bond to be like this, it's who I am." Simon looked at her with sadness before placing an arm around her, not caring about the malevolence around Velvet.

"Promise me something, Selene." The traveler said and Velvet looked up at him. "Promise me that once you regained your memories, no matter how hard and sad it might be, you continue to live on. Life is a thing that people should cherish before anything and not waste it on war."

"Why do you want me to keep that promise?" The therion asked annoyed.

"Because I like you, ever since we meet." Simon replied and Velvet is shocked.

"You never ever heard about me until a few months ago and don't know a damn thing about me or my past!" Velvet exclaimed, looking down on her knees while shadowing her eyes and shaking as the aura got stronger. "But still..." Soft sniffles was heard and tears ran down on her cheeks. "...you helped me so much, no matter what happened. I don't know how grateful I am to be alive thanks to you."

Simon took the therion closer to him and hugged Velvet to try calming her down, she cried on his chest as Simon just smiled as the aura was slowly disappearing. Velvet looked up, still in tears but with a small smile instead.


	4. The Reunion of Velvet & Laphicet

Just like the man said, it did take about two months before they arrived at the cave entrance to the village, under that time Simon and Velvet had been getting to know each other. Velvet noticed that Simon was really adventurous and he didn't stay in Camlann more than three years, she started to develop feelings for him quite fast because he was acting like Eizen and Laphicet combined. Simon noticed Selene was really kind under the facade of a serious warrior, she would be smiling whenever they were together which made him really happy but Selene would still be distant to other people. Most of the people in the Windriders would tease him about it and said they would make a perfect couple.

Now, the couple was standing by the cave as they were saying goodbye to the merchant guild and thanked them for their help.

"We seriously can't thank you guys enough." Simon thanked them grateful.

"No problem, it was good to have your company with us." The leader said before they got going. "Hopefully we'll meet again."

"Yeah, good luck with the travel." Velvet said as they see them off. Simon turned to Selene and she looked at the cave behind them.

"Let's go, this is one of the entrances to the village, the other is in a place called Elysia." Simon explained and Velvet nodded before they walked in the cave.

Inside wasn't like what you expected from a cave, the ground was growing grass and sunlight came in and lights the flower that gives the cave a outdoor feeling. Velvet immediately felt deja vu about it as they continued through before a memory flashed in her mind, the very scene of when she and Rokurou was told by Eizen that Laphicet, when he was called Number two, had his own will taken away.

"I've been in this place before but it was different." Velvet pointed out as Simon stopped walking.

"Glad you recognized this place." Simon said before he thinks about the night he confessed about helping her out. "Selene..."

"What is it, Simon?" Velvet asked, stopping to look at him.

"Why did you not like the idea for your friend wanting to turn you back into a human?" The male asked and Velvet shadowed her eyes while looking away.

"That's because I needed that power back then but if I do that now, I'll probably die." Selene explained which shocked Simon.

"You'll...die?" He breathed out.

"Yeah, I must have been gone for a long time. My therion powers is what keeps me alive right now." Velvet said, thinking about her experience in the dungeon prison.

"I don't know what to say now you've told me that." Simon said unsure if he wants to continue with the subject. "I don't want you to die, that's all."

"You're the only one that says that, everyone else want me gone." The therion pointed out before continuing walking and Simon hurried over to her, taking her bandaged hand.

"That's not true! They want that because of your emotionless part of you but not the side I've got to know." Velvet was shocked of his words, she's never heard of someone besides Laphicet that don't want to see her die. "You're kind, protective and always smiles around people that think the same only when they get to know the real you." Simon smiled kindly at her. "You're human, not a monster like normal people think you are. Remember our promise."

"Is it the promise we made that day under the starry sky?" Simon nodded.

"I want to help you as much as I can, even if we have to travel across the entire world." Velvet closed her eyes before opening them up again and smiled gently with gratefulness in her eyes. "Come on, we're almost there."

Simon lead Velvet through the tunnel while still holding her hand, the therion didn't complain as she didn't mind at all. Velvet have spend enough time to trust the traveler with her life, but she couldn't help but feel some kind of energy in the earth itself, a familiar power from her time in the earthpulse. She knew Simon would do experiments for different potions and artes as she was told that by Simon as a warning if he hasn't cleaned his house when they got there.

Once they were close to the exit, Velvet lets go of Simon's hand to run out by herself. Once Velvet comes out from the cave, her eyes was on a nice, small village in the beautiful landscape and a familiar temple was nearby but she couldn't make out which from the hill since she visited many ruins and temples under her journey. Simon soon came to her side with a smile over her expression, not only had Selene regained some of her memories but also that she liked his home. Simon took her hand again as the therion looked at the scene in front of them.

"Let's go, Selene. There's a few people I like you to meet." Simon told her before he drags Velvet down the hill, running.

At the village, the villagers was coming to the pair as they stopped to welcome Simon home from his travel. When Simon was going to introduce Selene to the excited villagers, a man with a powerful aura came to them. He had dirty-blond hair reaching almost to his shoulders, with bangs swept to his left. His eyes are lavender. He wears a white shirt under an open, long-sleeved dark blue jacket, secured with a black belt, white leggings, and low-heeled black boots with the tops folded over at the knee. He wears a fingerless black glove emblazoned with a strange mark on his left hand.

"Nice you came home earlier than expected." The man said and Simon grinned.

"I have more fun traveling than stay in this village my whole life just like you." The traveler retarded before they took their hands in a close friend style before hugging each other and clapping their hands on each others back. "Nice to see you, Michael."

"Welcome back." The man said as they broke up and Velvet comes to him, knowing who the man is by now and hides a little behind Simon to make sure he doesn't notice she's a hellion.

"Michael, this is Selene." Simon introduced her and Michael held out his hand.

"I'm the Shepherd Michael, nice to meet you, Selene." The Shepherd greeted and Velvet hesitated before taking his hand and shakes it.

"You too." Velvet finally said as they let go.

"How's Maotelus?" Simon asked Michael as Velvet begins to walk behind a waterfall nearby and it revealed a massive staircase to the temple.

"He's doing okay but two months ago, he started to act strange. It was like something had happened that very same time." Michael explained.

"That's strange, it was about the time I met Selene." Simon pointed out. "I don't know what to think right now." Velvet looks up to the temple above the stairs before she remembers which temple it was!

"The Empyrean's throne. It is still here." The therion mumbled and nodded to herself before running up the stairs, alerting Simon and Michael.

"Selene, wait!" Simon called out for her as the two ran after her but they couldn't keep up with Velvet as it seemed she flew up the stairs.

Velvet comes at the end of the stairs and hurried over to the stone door to figure out how to open it. Unknowing to her, a seal was placed on it and her hands was glowing light blue as she was more focused on pushing the door open. She broke the seal without notice and managed to push it open enough for her to get through before closing it as Simon and Michael comes up as she closed the door.

"Selene managed to get inside the temple." Simon confirmed breathing a little heavily but not as much as his friend.

"How is it possible? No one can go in that temple, not even Lailah can." Michael pointed out, Simon glanced at him before staring at the stone doors.

While inside, Velvet looked at the doors as well but felt a little sick being close to the source of the domain she has been sensing when they arrived and holds her daemon arm with her normal one to keep her focused. Walking further inside was the very room which an event she truly couldn't forget. Her very first duel against Artorius and her first death experience that changed her mission before realizing Laphicet became her very best friend.

 _"Doesn't it hurt? Aren't you in pain?"_ The voice of Laphicet asked worried in her memory as she imagine the scene in front of her. _"Why, Velvet? Why do you go on fighting?"_

 _"Because... Laphicet knew so much more pain than I ever will... And still, I... I couldn't do anything for him..."_ Velvet closed her eyes as she felt the little malak's touch in her hand.

"I'm sorry..." Velvet repeated.

"You don't need to apologize, Velvet." The therion opened her eyes immediately and looked up to see the little boy she got know and help find his purpose in front of her.

"Laphi... cet..." The seraph smiled as Velvet hugs him in happiness as he hugs her back. "I've missed you so much."

"Me too, I didn't know when you would wake up." Laphicet agreed as they broke away. "Welcome back."

"Thank you, happy to be back."

The two sat down on the floor as Laphicet explained everything to her, mostly what happened right after her sacrifice. Laphicet had offered his power of the silver flames to become the Empyrean in Innominat's stead which purified every daemon and made so people couldn't see malakhim and daemons expect those with resonance, what shocked Velvet was that he had been Maotelus the whole time. The name Maotelus was actually his true name when Eleanor had been his vessel and Laphicet didn't want to tell her that under the journey.

Everything about their journey had been kept a secret from population and the few exorcists that had been left to help Eleanor, now there were about three people left that knew besides him, Eizen and surprisingly Magilou. Laphicet didn't know what she was doing together with Bienfu but knew that the witch was trying to find something that would entertain her. The last thing Laphicet explained was that whenever he leaves the insides of the temple, he'll turn into his dragon state that he was commonly seen as.

"Sounds to me like you've had it rough." Velvet pointed out.

"Yeah but people has been so kind to me and I understand why I'm getting stronger every time someone prays to me." Laphicet said with a smile. "The Shepherds have protecting me for a millenia now and that's how long you've been gone as the Lord of Calamity."

"Which must have been a relief for them to have the most dangerous being gone for a limited time." Velvet scoffed and Laphicet laughed. "Still, it wouldn't explain why I'm here and how I came here from the start."

"I'm sure we'll figure it out, one way or another." Laphicet said as he looks at Innominat's symbol above the throne. "I just know it." Velvet smiled at him as she missed these moments under her absence.

"Just a warning, I've been telling everyone that my name is Selene and I've lost my memories when I was turned in a therion." The ex-Lord of Calamity warned him. "I had a hunch about everything was kept a secret so I lied for the most time, they probably thought I was going here to find my 'lost memories' when I just wanted to find answers." Laphicet nodded in understanding as he stood up.

"I'll try to make sure Michael doesn't suspect you as much, Simon is going to be a problem though." Velvet got up as well.

"Don't worry about Simon, he was the one who's been helping me get here from the start. Simon is really something else." Laphicet looks at her in confusion as he sees a dreaming look in her golden eyes.

"You like him, right?" Velvet blushed slightly but smiled rather than being embarrassed.

"I can't lie to you, he became someone I really trusts with my being." Laphicet knew that his friend deserved to be happy, so he didn't feel jealous for her to fell in love with someone. But he also knew that Michael and Simon was outside, waiting for Velvet to come out.

"Our friends are waiting outside for us, they probably followed you up here."

"Probably, I think the Shepherd would panic if he finds out about who I am and our relationship." The pair laughed together as they imagine the expression before Velvet walks out as Laphicet teleported out to show her his Empyrean form.

Outside, Simon was waiting worried together with a rather panic Michael walking around behind him. The alchemist wasn't paying attention to his friend as he was more focused on Selene, how was she able to break the seal on the gate with her bare hands? And why did she run up the stairs in such a hurry? These were two of the few questions in his head after the event that happened, Selene was really a mystery to even him but he didn't care about that as the most important thing was Selene's health and condition. His attention was drawn to Velvet coming out of the temple with a smile as she closes the door and comes to Simon.

"Sorry for worrying you." Velvet apologized as the two hugged each other. "I just needed to have some alone time with Maotelus to get some answers myself." Just then, a white/silver dragon appeared before them with a radiant aura.

"Lord Maotelus!" Michael exclaimed while getting on his knee to bow in respect as the young pair looks at him, Velvet was smiling proudly as she stares at his form. "I apologize for not stopping her in time."

 _"There's no need to apologize, Shepherd Michael."_ Maotelus said, still sounds like the little seraph he was. _"Selene have already told me about her situation and why she came here. She and I are old acquaintances from a long time ago, that's a story I like to not tell anyone until it's necessary."_

"So you know of her amnesia?" Simon asked and Maotelus nodded to confirm.

"Don't worry, I'm holding up." Selene replied, knowing he would ask if she was okay.

 _"Simon, I believe you want to get some research done now that you have returned based on your new experiences."_ Maotelus said which the alchemist completely forgot and Velvet giggled over his reaction. _"Michael, you should continue your duties and the well keeping of the village."_

"Of course." Michael agreed as he stood up. "Until next time." All three of them begins to walk back to the village together, Velvet glancing at her friend before focusing on following the men.


	5. The Alchemist & The Shepherd

As they were to go to Michael's house to discuss things, Velvet stopped walking and started to cough very heavily into her right palm. Once it stopped, Velvet saw blood all over her hand before collapsing on her knees and using her arm to keep her upper body up as Simon and Michael heard this, turning around as they stopped to see Velvet throwing up blood on the ground while she was holding her stomach. Simon and Michael ran over to her and got down on the ground, Simon holds her back as he sees her dropping her strength.

"Selene, what's wrong?!" Simon asked really worried over the change of health.

"I don't feel so good..." Velvet explained weak and hushed. Simon looks at her old wound underneath the sleeve to see some kind of liquid coming out of it.

"She's been poisoned!" Simon concluded as he felt Selene getting warmer and warmer by the second. "We need to get her to my house!"

"How is that possible?" Michael asks as his friend and rival carried the sick woman in bridal style before the two ran as fast as they could forwards Simon's house.

"We were attacked by a couple of snake hellions two months ago, one of them bit her and that wound wouldn't heal." The alchemist explained as Michael opened the door as they arrived that must be Simon's. "I think Selene wasn't affected until now."

Simon hurried up a pair of stairs to the next floor where two desks, one for writing on while the other was for experiments. A cabinet was there as well with many different potions at the top while the under had books as all the things was on one side of the room as the other was like a bedroom in a way. Michael comes up as Simon places Velvet's legs on the bed while having her upper body in his arms as the therion was breathing heavily as she was sweating.

"I'll find the cure." Michael said, going to the cabinet to search for the right potion.

"Selene, you need to stay awake." Simon begged Velvet and holds her hand in comfort as she stared in Simon's eyes weakly.

"Simon..." Selene breathed out.

"How's the cure going?!" Simon exclaimed really worried over she's not going to make it.

"Found it!" Michael exclaimed as he found the right bottle before going to the couple.

Michael opened the bottle and he placed it on Velvet's lips as he pours it into her throat, he stopped once the bottle was empty and Velvet choked before Simon places her fully on the bed. Simon wiped away the blood on her cheek as Michael looks at his rival suspicious over his actions.

"Okay, Simon. You need to explain everything to me, bites made from poisonous hellions usually take effect a few seconds after they're hit." The Shepherd said as Simon puts the blanket on Velvet's body while she slept.

"Selene isn't exactly human, she's a hellion." Simon replied and Michael is shocked.

"She's a hellion!" He yelled. "You brought a hellion to Maotelus, I need to purify her now!" Michael held out his hand to use an arte but Simon grabbed his wrist as Velvet moaned because of the noise before going back to sleep and Simon let go of him.

"It's not a possibility, Selene can't turn back into a human." The alchemist explained and looks at the sleeping woman as he sits down besides her on the bed. "It has become a part of her being, if you purify her she'll die."

"Brother, Simon! Are you here?" A female voice called out from down stairs before footsteps was heard going up.

It was a woman with long brown hair, which is braided down to her back, with bangs swept to her right. Like Michael, she has lavender eyes. She wears a white dress with black sleeves and a red coat with a ribbon tied around her neck. She also wears long black boots. Underneath her bangs was a gold circlet with a blue gem in the middle.

"Muse, how did you know?" Simon asked the woman, knowing somehow what she was going to say as he stands up.

"Saw you in the window, I know what happened." Muse explained simply as she goes to Velvet's side and gently takes the blanket off to look at her. "There's blood all over her clothes, I maybe need to clean them for her. So, you two, get out!"

"Okay, we'll be downstairs if you need anything." Michael said before he goes down the stairs with Simon right behind him.

"Just a tip, Muse," Simon said which got her attention. "Don't remove the bandages on her left arm, Selene have some really horrible scars that she really wants to be covered at all times."

"I'll keep that in mind." Muse replied and Simon followed Michael downstairs.

While Muse fixed Velvet up, Simon told Michael everything that happened under the two months of travel. The Shepherd was really skeptical about Selene after hearing what his best friend had told him, she might have been lying or really did lose her memory but it wouldn't make sense why she would go running forwards the shrine and even be able to open the doors that was sealed shut.

"I see, Selene is a hellion that can devour anything living." Michael concluded. "And you said she's told you that she's been gone for a long time."

"I'm positive, she knew about Maotelus and the cave when we got here just by looking at them." Simon explained, thinking about the moments.

"I'll send Lailah a message about it later, since I'm no longer her vessel. Still I wonder why you care about her so much?" Michael asked in question, it became quiet between the two for a few seconds before Simon finally confessed.

"I love her." The Shepherd was surprised while his old friend stared at him serious. "I love her so much, her smile and strength even her serious demeanor. She's special that way and not because of her beauty nor what she is, it's because of who she is."

Michael was speechless over that Simon truly cared about her more than a friend in that short short amount of time they're been traveling together. It was almost like they were part of the same coin, destined to be together in the future. Muse comes down with Velvet's clothes in her arms and a smile.

"I'm done, I put on one of your shirts on Selene so that some clothing was covering her." Muse said and Simon stood up to look at her with a smile.

"Thank you, Muse." The alchemist thanked her, now knowing Selene was going to be okay.

"You have to cool her down a few times to make sure she's not going to have a high fever as a side effect." Muse explained and Simon nodded before she left the house.

"It is best you get some alone time to take care of her, I need to do my duties before nightfall." Michael excused himself and stood up to leave, walking by Simon.

"Michael. Once you get to know Selene, you'll know she didn't want to become a hellion but was forced." Simon pointed out as Michael walks out the door, leaving his friend to take care of the newcomer.

At night time, Michael goes up to the temple once everyone was asleep to see Maotelus. The Empyrean had been worried since he heard what had happened as it happened quite fast and unexpected. As Michael arrives, Maotelus was already there, waiting for him.

 _"How is she?"_ The Empyrean asked worried about his friend.

"Selene is going to recover, we just don't know how long it'll take for her to wake up." Michael replied.

 _"Thank spirits she'll be okay."_ Maotelus breathed out in relief.

"Maotelus, there's something I need to ask." Michael requested. "How is it that you and Selene are already acquaintance with each other?" Maotelus looks up at the starry sky.

 _"Just like I told you before, Selene and I are old friends from many, many years ago."_ The Empyrean replied. _"She reminds me of someone I met at the time, who taught me that ways to live of my own free will."_

"Were you a seraph before becoming an Empyrean?" Michael mumbled to himself.

 _"Please, Michael, it's best for people to not know this truth."_ Maotelus warned him. _"We hid it for the purpose for our friend could live happily once she returned without being reminded of her past."_

Michael knew what it meant, there were other people that knew about the truth of the world and Selene but he doesn't have time to travel the world so he'll need to tell Simon when he have time from taking care of Selene. Michael bowed as he excused himself before leaving the Empyrean to think about his words.

** \- Two weeks later - **

It was late afternoon, Simon up in the bedroom as Velvet was still in the bed. He was dipping a towel in a bowl of cold water that was standing on the bedside table before drenching it out, he sat down next to the sleeping therion. Her hair wasn't in the ponytail anymore and the blanket covered her body. Simon cools her down with the towel but as he had the towel by her cheek, Velvet began to stir and groaning awake which made Simon smile in happiness while Velvet opened her eyes a little, looking right in the green eyes of Simon.

"Si... mon..." Velvet moaned.

"Selene, thank goodness you're awake." Simon said grateful.

"What happened?" The therion asked and tries to sit up but got down as fast, feeling pain all over and a massive headache.

"You've been out for almost two weeks." Simon explained as he helped her half sit with the pillows. "You were poisoned by the snake bite, looks like by devouring it slowed down the process for a limited time until now." Velvet placed a hand on her head, despite the pain to move any body part.

"My memories are all foggy," Velvet confessed. "All I can remember was your worried voice telling me to stay awake." Simon smiled and took her hand from her head.

"I'm just glad you're okay." The alchemist said before standing up. "I'll get you something to eat and some new clothing to cover yourself a little more." Velvet raised an eyebrow in confusion.

"What are you talk-!" Velvet looked down to see that the white shirt she was wearing wasn't buttoned up entirely and showing her bare chest, the therion blushed and growled as she takes the blanket up to cover her chest while Simon chuckled at her behavior.

"Don't worry, I'll give you another one instead." Simon left to go down stairs while Velvet looked away before mumbling, "You pervert!" She then smiled, knowing he just joked with her.

After getting changed into a black long sleeved shirt, that didn't need to button up, and getting some food in her system, Simon explained to Velvet that he told Michael about her being a therion and how he found her to the point they were now. Velvet might not show it but she was really irritated that Simon didn't ask her if it was okay, on the other hand she was not able to even talk that time.

"So the Shepherd knows who am I now." Velvet said, still not liking the idea of Michael knowing.

"I didn't have a choice, it was the only way for Michael to not confront you the first thing he does when you wake up." Simon said to his defense and Velvet sighed in defeat.

"I know it was for a good reason but you should ask me before you do something like that." Selene said as she looked away with guilt in her eyes. "I'm not really proud being like this like I used to do, it brings me bad memories of how I became one."

"I'm sorry for bringing that up." Velvet placed a hand on his in comfort, knowing what he was going to say.

"I didn't say I was angry at you, I meant that you should ask my permission first." Simon smiled a little at the black haired hellion.

"Thank you, Selene." Velvet smiled back before they heard something hit the window. Simon gets up and goes to the window to see four children, two boys and two girls in different ages, outside waving to him as the brown haired alchemist opened it. "What is it, you scum?"

"We heard a fair maiden sleeps in your fortress." The older boy played along before the oldest girl elbowed him on the arm. "What was that for?!"

"Why do you always play along when he's just teasing with you." The older girl pointed out before looking up at Simon. "Can we come inside? It's okay if you don't want us to." The little girl came forward and shows a flower crown in her hands.

"We made this for her to make her feel better." The little girl said.

"You can come in if you guys like to meet her, she's awake now." Simon told them before closing the window again and turns around to see Velvet with a raised eyebrow and a quirky smile while looking at him in disbelief. "What?"

"Really, 'you scum'. You sounded like an old man who doesn't like kids." Velvet pointed out and Simon just smiled sheepishly while scratching the back of his head.

"Those kids usually barge in whenever they can to play with me but now that you're here, they probably thought you were asleep still." The children came up the stairs and gasped when they saw the black haired woman in amazement.

"Wow..." The little girl breathed out.

"She's pretty." The younger boy pointed out as they all carefully sat on the bed in front of Velvet. The little girl wanted to place the flower crown on Velvet's head so the woman lowered her head in order for her to do it.

"Do you like it?" The little girl asked and Velvet nodded with a smile, the little girl became happy and carefully hugged Velvet as a thank you while Velvet did the same before they broke up.

"I really like your hair! It's so long and pretty." The older girl exclaimed jealously. "I'm jealous."

"Thank you for the compliment." Velvet thanked her, reminding the therion about Laphi and when she and Laphicet was watching the aurora borealis together.

"What's your name?" The older boy asked. "We didn't get the chance to hear it."

"Selene." Velvet told them her fake name. "It's nice of you to come and check on me."

"We heard you lost your memories before coming to Camlann." The older girl explained and Simon picked it up as he had sat down by his writing desk, an empty book in front of him and coupe of paper sheets.

"Where did you hear that?" The alchemist asked, suspicious that they gotten in trouble.

"We kinda overheard you telling Michael." The older boy replied before the older girl hit him on the head.

"You weren't supposed to tell them that." The younger boy told him quietly. The little girl then noticed Velvet's bandaged arm as she was sitting next to her.

"Selene, what happened to your arm?" She asked innocently and Velvet shadowed her eyes with her bangs and curled up her fists. "Selene?" Velvet took a deep breath to control herself before looking back up.

"I'm having a hard time talking about it." Selene explained. "Have you ever heard about the moon turning scarlet red?" The sudden question shocked everyone in the room and they looked at each other confused.

"What's that, Selene?" The younger boy asked.

"We want to know!" The other boy exclaimed excited.

"It's quite a long story that's very scary and sad, it would take some time to tell you all of it." Velvet told the children, teasing them a bit.

"Please!" All the children plead at the same time and the black haired beauty snickered.

"Alright, but I warned you." Velvet said as they got themselves settled, even Simon was curious of the story that he had his pen ready to write. "Many, many years ago. A scarlet red moon was high on the night sky above a small village where bandits were causing havoc by burning down houses and killing the villagers." The children was already getting scared and Velvet had to hug the little girl to comfort her. "But in the forest nearby, a man and a pair of siblings running away. One of the siblings was a little girl and while she ran for her life, she held a tight grip of her little brother's hand. What the girl didn't know was that that night would change her whole life forever and her name was Velvet Crowe."

Velvet began to tell them about her old life in Aball under the perspective of a fairytale, even her real name. The children was sitting quiet the whole time until Selene begins to tell about her experience at the Advent and her awakening as a therion. Simon was really interested in the story that he started to write down on the sheets of paper, copying every word she said. The children gasped as Selene ended the part of Artorius strike and her scream of his real name which left the children wanting to hear more of it.

"It can't end there!" The boys shouted at the same time.

"What happened to Velvet?" The older girl asked. "She can't be dead, can she?" Selene didn't have time to answer as Simon got up from his chair.

"Okay, you guys. Selene needs to rest, you can come back tomorrow." He said and the kids moaned in disappointment as they go off the bed to go out the house.

"Goodbye Selene! See you tomorrow!" The little girl said before she hurried after her friends and Velvet sighed in relief that they were finally gone.

"I never thought you would make them quiet like that, it's unbelievable." Simon confessed in surprise.

"You just need to know what they like, everyone in my time knew about Velvet Crowe's journey." Selene explained even though it felt wrong saying her name in third person. "It's quite the tale."

"I understand that, I'm guessing it's not a normal tale about a hero defeating the villain." Simon guessed as he sits down on the bed, right next to her and Velvet lays her head on his shoulder tired.

"It's the opposite, her story is about how a girl, her kind heart changing into one of despair, freeing and saving the world from within the shadows from the lies of the light." The therion told her loved one while closing her eyes. "Heroes don't have to be good because they're in the light and villains don't have to be bad because they're in darkness."

"And you are the proof of that." Selene opened her eyes a little with a sad smile because even though Simon didn't know about that the story was real and Velvet Crowe was sitting right beside him but he was right.

"Ain't that the truth." They stayed like that for the rest of the day, falling asleep together by accident as they embraced each other with smiles.


	6. Powers & Miracles

Days after, Velvet was feeling better with each day that goes by but can't really do any heavy lifting nor means that will overwork her body until Simon is sure she has recovered enough. Right now, the therion was sitting on the stone steps to the temple with Maotelus lying behind her as the wind blew through her hair while she looks down at her new home.

"This village reminds me so much of Aball." Velvet pointed out to her old friend. "To think a village like this still exists after the millennia I was gone."

 _"The children seem awfully excited, what did you do exactly?"_ Laphicet asked and Velvet smiled.

"I'm telling them about our journey, it's not like they'll find out it's true." Velvet explained, not caring about and Laphicet laughed.

 _"You're the same as always."_ The Empyrean pointed out, which made her smile even more.

"The same goes for you, Laphicet. I'm still glad that you're alive and close, like before."

_"Still, that was a close call. You almost died if it weren't for Simon's knowledge about potions and artes, we're lucky to have him with us."_

Velvet looks at her arm as it still had bandages, her wound hasn't healed as expected because of the liquid that came out. Velvet slowly takes it off to see the two small bite marks in her upper arm and then covered it with her hand while thinking back on the day Simon saved her life.

 _"Velvet, look!"_ The former demon lord looks at her arm again to see her hand glowing green together with her skin, Velvet let go to see the two marks were gone, like it healed itself in so little time and the only time she've seen it was when her malakhim friends healed her with their artes.

"This is unbelievable..." Velvet gasped in disbelief as stared at it.

 _"You just used a seraphic arte, that's incredible!"_ Laphicet exclaimed.

"I have seraphic abilities now, that explains a lot with what has been happening to me and what Seres has been telling me." The therion stood up to look at the very sky that she and Innominat had been asleep, inside a void. "Innominat has given us his power, a half to each of us."

 _"That could be possible but what would change his mind when he already have all he wanted."_ Velvet sees a bird flying in the sky which made her smile.

"I think Laphi did it." The Empyrean looked at his old friend confused. "Laphi's soul must have awakened under our sleep, just like Seres did under the Advent. He knew that without Innominat, we would die. He gave us his powers in order for us to live on without knowing he redeemed himself and to be forgiven." Velvet turned to look at Maotelus. "That's my theory anyways. It's not like I remember what happened or how."

 _"I agree, we just have to wait and see. Your theories are always right, you're incredible that way."_ Velvet smiled kindly as she knew she needs to go back by now.

"I better go back, Simon is bringing his teacher over and he wants me to meet him."

 _"You really have to go?"_ Velvet placed a hand on Laphicet's snout.

"Don't worry, I'll come back tomorrow and tell you what happened." The dragon nodded and Velvet got down one step. "See you later, Laphicet."

The former Lord of Calamity begins to walk down the big stone steps back to the village to be greeted by the villagers she got to know and was really used to be called Selene like it was her real name and Laphicet was calling her a nickname instead. The villagers had all gotten used to seeing Velvet go to Maotelus every now and then without asking questions. Michael wasn't really outside as much but Muse explained that he was writing a book about the many places he visited with some help from Simon. Talking about Simon, he's only been seen those couple of days when Velvet was telling the kids her tragic adventure, writing down what happened. Selene had once asked about it but Simon told her it was a secret and she couldn't find the notes whenever she's cleaning the house because he hid it so well.

As Velvet was about to open the door to her new home, Muse arrives with a basket in her hands and a smile.

"Hi, Muse. What's the matter?" Velvet asked.

"Nothing's the matter, I heard from brother that you'll be meeting Zenrus today so I thought I should bring some things." Muse explained and showed the many ingredients inside, Selene looked at them with glims in her eyes.

"That would be great! Want to help?" Velvet asked and Muse smiled in delight.

"Of course! I love helping out my friends." The human replied and the two walked in to bake some sweets for the meeting. After doing it, the two sat down by the dining table with a cup of tea in front of them. In the meantime, Simon meets a short old man by a hill, talking to each other before walking to the village.

"So you're the one doing the cooking in your house?" Velvet asked as she knew that Muse was married to someone in the village and the girl giggled.

"Yeah, since he's out for the most time, someone have to do it." She replied and it was Velvet's turn to giggle.

"I know that feeling." The therion agreed before she thought about something. "Do you have resonance like Simon and Michael have?" Muse nodded slightly.

"I have but like Simon, I don't like the responsibility of the Shepherd and I don't really fight like to they do as well."

"I think all you need is practice, I'm going to try master new abilities I discovered earlier today."

"New abilities? You should ask Zenrus for help, he's one wise and powerful seraph. I'm sure he'll accept the request."

"Maybe but I don't know how they will react when I tell them that I have seraphic abilities I didn't even know I had."

"Don't worry, Selene. I'm sure they'll understand." Velvet kept quiet as she was thinking if she should tell them about her abilities.

"How do you know they're going to understand?" Muse smiled polite as she knew Selene only knew of grown up and adventurous Simon but not the side she and Michael knew.

"Simon has been one of my best friends since we were little. We grew up together and when brother became the Shepherd, Simon would always be by his side even when brother retired from his Shepherd duties to take care of the village he build up."

"And after that, Simon started with his trips around the world and eventually found me." Muse looked at Velvet in shock, she managed to figure out Simon's small journeys around the world started in such a small explanation. "I'm very good at figuring out stuff just by looking and listening."

"Of course, glad for knowing that now." Velvet smiled.

Just then, the door opened and the women turned their heads forwards it to see Simon with an old man with white hair. Extremely short, his height is boosted only by his tall sandals and single tuft of yellow, lightning-bolt hair on his head.

"Zenrus! Welcome back!" Muse greeted with a smile as she stood up.

 _'That old man is Simon's teacher?!'_ Velvet exclaimed in her head in surprise of his appearance.

"Nice to see you again, Muse." The old seraph replied with a happy expression. He looks at Velvet, who tries to not act suspicious in front of him.

"Zenrus, this is Selene. She's very important to me." Simon introduced her as he goes to her side and places a hand on her shoulder, gesturing that Velvet could be calm around Zenrus.

"I could see that but her being a hellion is a problem." Zenrus pointed out and Velvet stood up in surprise immediately over his words. "Muse, it's best if you leave us alone at the moment."

"Of course." Muse said and left the house.

"How did you know I was a hellion?" Velvet asked and gritted for the answer.

"A few hellions have the ability to hide their presence from seraphim, you've been hiding your presence quite well I almost didn't notice." Zenrus explained.

"I'm not doing it on purpose, it's the type of hellion I am." Velvet replied, feeling a little dizzy after standing up in a hurry and Simon noticed this.

"Maybe you should sit down." Simon suggested and Velvet sat back down on her chair. "Gramps, Selene isn't like other hellions, she knows and control her malevolence without fighting against it. I've seen it happen, it didn't spread like it normally do."

"Then I'll ask why you still maintain your human form?" Zenrus asked directly to Velvet.

"I maintain my will of reason." The therion replied serious. "If you maintain it then you maintain your human form, those I've seen have one part of their body turning to a hellion if that happens." Simon thinks about it in his own head before coming to a question.

"Is it possible for a hellion to revert to human form before turning back into a hellion?" Simon asked and Velvet shakes her head.

"There's only one kind that are able to do it and it's what I am, a therion." Velvet explained. "We can switch forms on regularly biases depending on the situation. I knew five of us seven, one of the seven being me and the other left was killed." She glanced at Simon as she talked before turning back to Zenrus. "Can we continue this conversation about me being a hellion for later? There's something I need to tell you both."

"Of course, you're more human than a monster." Zenrus agreed on his judgement of her character and Velvet nodded slightly as a thanks.

"Earlier, I was talking with Maotelus about what happened a few weeks ago and something happened." Velvet told them. "I used a seraphic healing arte on my wound." The men looks at her surprised.

"How is that possible? You're a hellion but that isn't surprising since a therion can devour anything and gains their abilities in return." Simon said a little surprised.

"But I haven't been able to do it before because they're one time use usually." The demon lady told him about her experience. "I think something happened before I lost my memories that made me a part seraphim, as well hellion and human."

"That's a really high possibility as it might be the only explanation to this." Zenrus agreed, making the couple look at him. "If this is true, then Selene has become a race of her own. I think the Nephilim would be a good name for it, doesn't it?" Velvet just grinned as it was the first time the old man was agreeing on something since they meet a few minutes ago.

"I can't help but to agree with that." The therion said while crossing her arms. "So you don't mind teaching me how to use seraphic artes? After all, if I try on my own then there would be casualties and problems." Zenrus smiled as an answer before they start with what he was here to do.

* * *

_"After this day, my life began anew. Despite me being a hellion, Muse accepted me as a good friend, just like Niko did before the Advent when I was still human. Simon and our relationship became more than what I normally knew happened to people I come close to, we became like soulmates to each other and fell in love. As I trained to become a strong seraph, Zenrus became like a father to me and guides me to control the Sorcerer's ring as well, which he found out about by accident when we were training. After that incident, I started to experiment with the ring's power and discovered that my seraph form was similar to Seres' clothing but instead of the blue color I got used to see, it turned red and my hair changed back into the hairstyle I usually use in my old clothes from my adventure which I could switch into as well thanks to the ring._

_My relationship with Michael had been slow but now we're in good terms with each other and he usually ask me of the properties I have, but I don't really trust him with my secret as it takes a lot for a Shepherd, retired or not, to convince me and don't use it against me. The only one I can talk about it is Laphicet, just like when he was just a malak, he's my best friend I can really trust and protect. I go to him daily as he was really lonely up in his temple and the kids I tell my adventures to sometimes come with me as it was one of the places people don't disturb us._

_It felt like it was longer than three years since I met Simon as we became more in love of each other, one day Simon proposed to me and I couldn't feel happier than being with him. He had made special amulets that could be put together to each of us, mine being a black sun left half with a red stone while Simon was a right half white moon with a blue gem. He once told me that in some cultures, the colors have meanings but he doesn't know why he chose those colors for us as he don't know what they exactly mean. We later on married but we didn't leave Camlann because of that._

_Just a few months later, something happened that I couldn't believe did. I became pregnant with a child. Zenrus, or Gramps is what everyone called him which rubbed on me, told us that our child was human but there would be something different about it once it was born. I somehow knew that our child would have resonance because we both were able to see seraphim and hellions but it had me concerned because I wasn't human like my husband. Simon told me not to worry about it and everything would be fine._

_Months later, our son, Sorey, was born. I actually cried when I saw him, I never thought I would be able to see myself create a family of my own when I became a therion. Sorey might have been born earlier than expected but he really became a miracle for me and Simon, it became one of our happiest days. But I had a feeling that something would happen soon that'll end it."_

  
****

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Now, I just want to point out why Velvet wears black and red on her clothes and medallion while why I choose those colors for Simon as well. Under a conversation between me and Nerf, we found out that the different colors have meanings to them and the meanings have the traits that fits Velvet.
> 
> Here's the meanings:
> 
> Red is the color of fire and blood, it symbolizes energy, war, danger, strength, power, determination as well passion, desire and love.
> 
> Black means power, elegance, formality, death, evil and mystery. It says black is a really mysterious color that associate with fear and the unknown.
> 
> Blue is the color of the sky and sea, it is associated with depth and stability, It means trust, loyalty, wisdom, confidence, intelligence, faith, truth and heaven. When its light blue, is means health, healing, tranquility, understanding and softness while dark blue means knowledge, power, integrity and seriousness
> 
> White means safety, purity and cleanliness. It is associated with light, goodness, innocence, purity and virginity as well perfection.
> 
> Well, See you next time!


	7. Time Repeats Itself

Velvet was taking a nap in the bed since she was still exhausted from Sorey's birth, her hair was out of its ponytail once again as she rested peacefully. Simon, who now had a long ponytail under the three years together, comes up from downstairs and sees his wife with a smile before laying himself on the bed, kissing Velvet awake on her cheek.

"Selene, it's time to wake up if you're going to see Maotelus today." Simon said calmly as Velvet smiled as she opened her eyes.

"Yeah, I just needed to rest my body for a while." She confessed and Simon looks at her medallion she still had on her neck. The alchemist stroke away some of her long black hair from her neck and Velvet lays her head on his neck. "I love you so much."

Just then, the couple heard the familiar baby laugh. Velvet giggled silently before getting up to go to the crib, where a little baby boy with tufts of brown hair on his head and forest green eyes that was shining with happiness and purity.

"Hi, little buddy!" Velvet said, making Sorey laugh even more as she picked him up in her arms. "Don't think we forgot about you, you were sleeping and we didn't want you to wake up." Sorey managed to get his hands on some of his mother's hair and started to play with it.

"Glad he didn't start playing with your amulet." Simon pointed out as he was sitting upon the bed instead.

"For your information, Sorey was moving a lot so I couldn't even sit before he shifted side." Selene explained a little irritated as she managed to get back her hair and gives Sorey to Simon. "Can you hold him and fold him in a blanket while I fix my hair up?"

"Of course, but you look more beautiful with your hair down than up." The alchemist said while Velvet brushed her hair with a brush, grinning.

"Maybe I'll have it down once Sorey is a little older but right now, I need to keep it up so it doesn't get in my face." Velvet explained as she fixed the ponytail with a ribbon. Simon fixed Sorey in a blanket so he didn't get cold whenever they were outside.

"Do you think Sorey and Mikleo are going to be friends or rivals?" The father asked with a small chuckle.

"Both." Velvet replied simply as she goes to him to pick up her son. "If there's something I learned from boys, is that they're usually both best friends and rivals a the same time." Simon chuckled again because she was right as he follows his wife downstairs.

"Well, I hope you have a nice day." Simon said as Velvet was about to go out the door.

"You're not coming with us?" The therion asked and the human shakes his head as an answer.

"I have a job to finish and Michael is bringing someone to protect the village from the war, I just have a feeling I shouldn't get involved with that." Simon explained and Velvet sighed.

"Someday, you need to go out and get some sunshine. It's bad for your health to stay inside all the time." Velvet said and Simon nodded.

"I know." The Nephilim walks out with a smile as Simon closed the door for her.

Out in the village was really active this time, many of the kids was helping the grown ups with their chores except for those that is pregnant or taking care of their infants. Velvet greeted Muse, who was standing by an apple tree together with her son Mikleo. She and Velvet got pregnant by the same time but their sons were born days after each other. They thought the small boys would become best friends, just like Simon and Michael was. As Velvet was only a few meters away from the waterfall entrance, she heard something calling for her.

"Selene!" The familiar voice of Michael called out and the ex-Lord of Calamity sighed in irritation as she stopped before turning around to see Michael walking forwards her with a man she never seen before. At first sight, Velvet knew that this person was important as he was dressed in fancy but simple clothes, he has blonde hair and beard and purple eyes that were darker than Michael's. Velvet definitely didn't like him but it doesn't show on her face.

"Michael, who's that guy?" Selene asked as it takes a keen eye to know what she thought of the man.

"This is Georg Heldalf, he and I have come up with a deal that he would to protect the village and keep peace." Michael explained as Heldalf comes forwards and holds out a hand.

"An honor to make your acquaintance." Heldalf greeted and Velvet took his hand, even though she was a little hesitant.

"Selene. The same goes for you." Velvet said, shaking hands slightly before breaking up.

"Are you on your way to Maotelus?" Michael asked.

"Yeah, I want him to meet my son before nightfall since Simon have taken care of him these couple of days." Velvet explained as she looks at Sorey in her arms. "Why do you ask when you already know?"

"I want to show Heldalf." Michael said which shocked Selene.

"Are you serious? Showing a human Maotelus without resonance is really serious and I don't know if he wouldn't agree with it." She replies in disagreement and serious.

"Selene, I know what I'm doing." Michael said before going forwards the temple with Heldalf following him.

"You're as stubborn as ever." Velvet mumbled to herself before following them.

They goes up the stone stairs to see Maotelus already there waiting for them like he usually do, Velvet listened briefly on the conversation as she was more focused on Heldalf. She felt a bad vibe from him and it isn't good, Velvet have always right about these kind of people. They would act as trusting as possible before they get what they want, just like Artorius did and she had a feeling time would repeat itself if her hunch was correct as the two left.

 _"What's wrong, Velvet?"_ Laphicet asked once the humans were gone. _"You were awfully quiet."_

"I don't trust him." Velvet replied serious.

 _"Who?"_ Laphicet questioned.

"Heldalf. I get a bad vibe from him and I shouldn't complain but I just don't trust him." The therion replied turning to him. "When I shook hands with him, I could feel the strength inside him. Heldalf is a soldier which is more suspicious."

_"Do you think we're in danger?"_

"We have to wait and see, I have a feeling it'll happen soon." Velvet looks at the village worried that something dangerous will happen soon and she didn't like this feeling at all. Once she got home, she told Simon everything that happened and her hunch. Simon had his own suspicions over Heldalf but they have to find out in time.

* * *

The next day, Simon had been falling asleep on his writing desk and Velvet was running up from the stairs in a hurry with worry on her face. She looks around before finding Simon on the desk and hurried over to him to shake him awake.

"Simon, Simon!" Velvet repeated worried as her husband starts to wake up and sit up.

"Selene, what's wrong?" Simon asked a little groggy before he saw her face.

"You really need to see this! It's urgent!" Velvet exclaimed.

The couple hurried outside, leaving Sorey in his crib, sleeping. Once they got out, they were terrified of the sight in front of them. A few of the houses was lit on fire and many villagers was running for their lives, a few soldier of both Hyland and Rolance was fighting and killing the villagers. Velvet started to get flashbacks of when she was experiencing her first Scarlet Night at the Opening, this was like a true image of that very night.

"You were right all along." Simon pointed out terrified but also shocked over her hunch to not trust Heldalf, who was probably the reason why this is happening.

"I always am but this is far too much malevolence, it's going to be overflown." Velvet explained before remembering something. "You and Sorey need to get out of here, I'll follow you soon." Velvet was about to run away before Simon stopped her by placing a hand on her shoulder.

"What are you going to do?" He asked worried and Velvet glanced at him with a convincing look.

"I'm going to check on Maotelus, with all this malevolence he'll be infected and he'll turn into a dragon if I don't do something then our Empyrean will turn into a hellion." Velvet replied, staring right in Simon's eyes. "I need to make sure he comes out of this okay." Simon let go and nodded.

"Alright but be careful." The alchemist said before Velvet finally ran away to check on her very special friend.

Velvet closed her eyes as she got into her hunter mode before opening them again as Hyland soldiers saw her and prepared themselves to attack, the therion slides on the ground to avoid their spears as she takes out her gauntlet blade out. She slashes them dead before continuing on, she was really glad that her body still moves on its own since the sleep and still in top shape now that she trained it up for three years. Velvet looks up in the sky to see Maotelus flying above her and the two got sight of each other before Laphicet starts to fly down, but Velvet also caught sight on Michael as she stopped by him.

"Selene, you should be evacuating with the others!" Michael exclaimed, not knowing what she was doing.

"I'm going to check on Maotelus, can you search for Muse?" Velvet asked. "I haven't seen her anywhere."

"I'll go look for her, you make sure Maotelus is safe." Michael ordered before running away of the opposite way of Velvet's to find his sister.

"I'm a way ahead of you." The therion said to herself before continuing her way forwards, she didn't need to run for much longer as Laphicet landed in front of her. "Laphicet! Thank goodness you're okay." Velvet hugged him slightly before noticing that his silver scales have been tainted by the malevolence.

 _"I must leave or else, I'll become a hellion soon."_ Laphicet told her.

"I can open an earth pulse rift for you, while I was training I noticed I could slash open the earthpulse since I'm able to sense them now." Velvet explained, taking out her blade again before focusing her energy on her blade before slashing in the air. A black hole opened next to them.

 _"Thank you, Velvet. There's something I want to give you."_ Maotelus said as a silver flame appeared before the therion. _"This flame will give you the power to fight hellions without killing them, you know how to use it."_

Velvet took out her therion form taking the flame in her demonic hand, starting to devour it but she started to feel incredible pain as she was devouring the flame through her whole arm. This pain made it hard for Velvet but she tries her best before she finally consumed the flame, breathing heavily as her arm transformed back on its own. Before Maotelus went away, Velvet could see his malak form before he turned into a blue light and flew into the portal before it closed. Selene begins to run back to Simon and Sorey to help them escape from the Origin village while holding her demon arm in pain.

Meanwhile, Simon was helping a few of the villagers to escape but it was getting harder when many of them had turned into hellions and he had to fight them with his sword in one hand and Sorey in the other. He had just defeated a hellion when he saw Velvet coming to them.

"Simon, Maotelus has just escaped. We can go now!" Velvet told him and he noticed her holding her arm.

"Are you hurt?" Simon asked worried.

"No, I'm fine. I had to devour a few soldiers on my way back." Velvet explained and Simon is shocked.

"Why do you kill people? They deserve to live like we do, there's has to be a way to end this without killing them." Simon said, trying to reason with her by giving his wife Sorey before walking forwards to the middle of the village.

"Simon, what are you doing?!" Velvet called out as a big arte circle appeared underneath Simon's feet as he stared at the hellions of both soldiers and villagers.

"Buying everyone time to escape." Simon replied as the circle began to glow brightly around him. "The last arte I never thought I would use like this." The alchemist points his sword at the sky and lightning came forth that hits every hellion in the area, he collapses on his knee afterwards which got Velvet worried.

"Simon!" Selene called out as she ran over to him. As she arrived to check on him, Simon saw something behind her.

"Selene, look out!" Simon shouted before taking Velvet in his arms to turn around to shield her with his body, Velvet's eyes widen as she saw a Rolance soldier stabbing Simon in the back that was going to have been her if it wasn't for her husband protecting them.

Simon falls to the ground and Velvet just stares at the scene with fear before growling like an angry animal, she placed Sorey by the dying Simon as she stands up and takes out her therion arm even if she feels the side-effects from the silver flames. Velvet's eyes was burning with anger and grabbed the soldier's head, devouring him in the process before going for other people and hellions in pure anger. As she fought and devoured, at one time a Hyland soldier had thrown a dagger in her side before devouring him as well. Now greatly wounded, Velvet couldn't do much but to take the knife out as she starts to bleed a lot of blood which she couldn't stop and collapses onto the ground just a few inches away from Simon and Sorey. Velvet started to feel sleepy and weak as she looked at her little family.

It just was a few minutes before Zenrus and two of his seraph followers arrived at the scene, Muse had come to them and told them everything that happened, suggesting that she would be used as a sacrifice to keep the malevolence from spreading to Elysia. Just then, one of the followers noticed Velvet was still alive and hurries over to her. The seraph carefully rolled Velvet onto her back to notice her wound.

"She's fatally injured, my healing artes won't be enough to heal it." The seraph said as he began to heal her and Zenrus came over to them. "She lost a lot of blood as well, it'll take time before she's recovered." Velvet had opened her eyes a little but weakened by the wound.

"Sorey..." Velvet breathed out before going completely unconscious. Zenrus looks at Simon's body to see Sorey in his blanket before he picked him up.

"We need to bring them to Elysia, where they can't get affected by the malevolence." The grand seraph said as the followers took Velvet up from the ground carefully before they all began to get to Elysia, the village of the seraphim.


	8. End of The Beginning

Zenrus was in a hut far away from Camlann, smoking his pipe as he watches over Velvet's motionless body. It just had been a few days since the dreadful day of the attack and Muse used herself as a defense mechanism for Elysia to not spread the malevolence as the mean time, many seraphim helped as much as they can to tend Velvet's wound and prevent her from dying. Right now, her body was on the floor as Zenrus waited for Velvet to wake up as they had to remove her clothes because they were ruined after the attack and from her wound and scratches.

They were replaced with a dark blue dress that ended at the middle of her thigh and with long sleeves that was somewhat too big for her. Her dark sun necklace was still on her neck and placed on her chest, black tights covering her legs with black slippers on her feet. In the latest hour, Velvet has shown signs of movement as her eyebrows twitch and she groaning like she was in pain. In fact, she was having a nightmare with her in a dark void.

Velvet was looking around the void with a feeling that there was something that felt off in the void. A lion faced entity, looking down at her a few meters away from her.

 _"Who are you?"_ She asked in the void.

 ** _"Your legacy... Your replacement... Your spawn..."_** He growled as he roared and malevolence poured out, she was engulfed by a mass of negativity. Velvet screamed in pain before her eyes snapped open in reality and she rushed up in sitting position, she breathed heavily as she placed a hand on her head.

"You're finally awake." Zenrus pointed out, getting Velvet's attention.

"Gramps, where's Sorey?!" Velvet said in panic before feeling sharp pain in her abdomen and grunts as she takes up the dress to see her stomach all bandaged up. "So it wasn't a dream."

"Your son is with one of my followers here in Elysia, we didn't make it in time to help Simon nor anyone else." Zenrus explained. "You're the only survivor together with your son, Selene."

"That isn't my name!" Velvet yelled in despair while shadowing her eyes to keep herself from crying. "It never was."

"Then tell me, who are you?" Velvet looked up as she finally reveal who she is.

"My name is Velvet Crowe, a monster who brought this world into chaos a thousand years ago and became the first known Lord of Calamity." The therion explained and Zenrus doesn't seem faced. "I remember everything about myself and my past but the problem is, I never spread any malevolence instead I devoured it."

"Mind telling me what happened all those years ago and if I recall it, seraphim was suddenly seen by normal people."

"I know how and what happened, I saw everything." Velvet begins to retell her backstory she kept secret from everyone in Camlann, Zenrus sat and listen through to notice that what Velvet did was necessary or else there would be nothing left.

"I can understand why you and your group wanted to keep it a secret from the world." Zenrus said understanding after the explanation. "You didn't want time repeating itself again."

"But it did anyway, the one I loved was killed right in front of my eyes by the one betraying us. I should have told Simon about who I really am, then maybe we would have made it out alive together."

"No life is shed if it weren't for a reason." Velvet looked up in confusion. "Nothing happens without a reason. Your return, your son's birth, Simon's sacrifice and the destruction of Camlann. They are all connected to something called 'fate'."

"But remember, I've already crossed with fate once and did it in my own way."

"That is certainly true, but I think you play a big part in this world. The legend of the Shepherd defeats the Lord of Calamity may have started with you defeating Artorius and Maotelus' existence, in all you're the true savior of our world." Velvet was starting to catch up with what he meant. "Just like when your sister died, a malak was born and destined to become an Empyrean with a power strong enough to purify the malevolence, do you understand?"

"I am but why would Laphicet give me the Silver Flame when I can get injured because I'm a hellion?"

"If I get this thought of mine correctly, I think he wants you to purify and judge humans. Your experience with injustice and knowing the truth our world's past, may be a thing that can help this world from the Lords of Calamity that came after you, to lead a new Shepherd on the right path." Velvet looked at the small fire as she thought about his words and why it made so much sense now that she thought about it.

"You think Sorey will become a Shepherd?" Zenrus looked at her and the therion was still watching the flames. "A spawn of a Lord of Calamity that's even human and probably born with powers that humans can't posses. He might be as extraordinary as me."

"Looks to me that the Crowe family is a special bloodline, they are all special and powerful in their own way." Velvet closed her eyes while snickering, she've grown attached to the old seraph quite strong under her training.

"Keep dreaming, old man." Zenrus just put on a grandfather smile, still liking her personality. Velvet then came up with something and got a little sad of the thought. "Gramps, I may have to go once my wound has healed, I don't want to put you guys in danger. Can I leave Sorey in your hands?"

"Of course, it's far too dangerous for your son if you take him with you but may I ask why?" Velvet takes her amulet in her hand to look at it.

"I'm going to find the one that caused all of this!" Velvet growled as she held the item tighter. "I'm going to pay my revenge on them, either a Shepherd or Lord of Calamity, they'll die by my own hand!" Velvet looked up at the seraph with determination in her eyes. "But first, I need to get to Camlann, there's a few things I need to take care of. Mostly, make sure Simon is buried and not tainted by malevolence."

"Then let me and a few of my followers come with you." Velvet nodded as an answer.

A few hours later, Zenrus showed Velvet the way to Camlann through the underground ruins underneath Elysia. The therion was really interested in looking around but she has to do it some other time and now she needed to focus on the doing the things she need to do right now, Velvet also needed to take it easy thanks to her wound as it still needed to heal. Somehow, the ruins was connected to a tunnel that goes right to Camlann through a door deep down in the ruin. Once the door opened, Velvet could feel the malevolence already and began to worry about Simon's body to become a hellion. The small group arrives at the remains of the Origin village and Velvet was immediately reminded of Aball, the corpses of the people that were killed by the soldier or Velvet herself was spread over the whole village. When they found Simon, the seraphim digged a grave for him but before they placed his body into the ground, Velvet took off Simon's half of his amulet to have with her as a memory.

Once Simon was buried, Velvet got to their home as it was one of the few that wasn't as ruined as all the other houses. Only the roof had collapsed on the upper floor and Velvet walked in with sadness over the destruction of her little home but she was blinded by something that was being reflected by the sun, she holds a hand over her face to be able to see where the reflective object is coming from. The light came from in between some of the floorboards and Velvet walked over to there before getting on her knees, she noticed the boards were loose of some strange reason that wasn't caused by the attack nor the fire. Velvet moved the boards from the floor to see a hidden compartment with something rectangular, folded some kind of fabric with an envelope. The therion picked envelope up to notice that her real name was written on it with Simon's handwriting.

"Why is my real name written on it?" Velvet asked herself as she opened it and started to read it as she cried.

_'Dear Selene, or should I say Velvet Crowe._

_If you're reading this letter then you must have found the very special project I've worked on for three years without you knowing. I've known about your true identity by puzzling the pieces of you knowing that story and the things I've got to know about you to realize that the story you were telling the kids was your own emotional journey to save our world from a murderer Shepherd, that were even your brother-in-law. In order to know I was right about you, I talked with Maotelus and he helped me draw the most important moments of your story. I've also seen you transform into your old self out in the woods, that way I could also know how you looked under that time which left me with the images I needed to finish it._

_I meant to tell you that I knew of your secret once I was finished, the very object in front of you can only be opened by those who have your blood running through their veins, to keep the secret about you and the world that we don't know happened._

_From Simon, your cheeriest husband. I love you more than anything.'_

Velvet was shaking as tears landed on the letter. "You knew, you knew this entire time!" She cried, holding a hand over her mouth to muffle her cries from being heard.

Velvet stopped after a while before wiping away her tears and takes the object to unwrap it, the object was a book with a person that was turning into petals and a book lock was at the side of the book. She hugs the book closely as it was one of the few things left from her husband.

"What are you going to do now?" The familiar voice of Seres asked and the therion looked up but didn't turn to see Seres behind her. "You've lost your husband, a human who loved you for who you are."

"Why are you here and not in my head?" Velvet asked, knowing that the malak couldn't be alive.

"I'm now a manifestation that only you can see as my soul is still inside you, thanks to your seraphic powers." Seres explained and the ex-Lord of Calamity stood up before turning to the side to face her. "You've become stronger than before but my time is limited."

"To answer your question, I'm going to find what caused this." Velvet explained determined. "I think a Lord of Calamity as been born under this commotion."

"How so?" Seres questioned and Velvet started to recall her nightmare that seemed more like a vision than a dream.

"Because I met him in my dream, I don't know who it is yet but I can somehow connect with him for a few seconds." The black haired warrior explained as she walks to the door.

"You've already made up your mind, Selene?" Seres said which made Velvet stop.

"Selene is dead. She died with her husband the moment he died. Only Velvet Crowe remains." Velvet said in her usual unemotional but serious voice as she walked out. "It's time I show that faker the power of a true Lord of Calamity."

* * *

It took about a week for her wound to heal properly, Velvet took the time to Sorey as she was still going with that Zenrus is going to take care of Sorey and Mikleo, which she found out that he had turned into a seraph and Velvet knew how it could happen. Right now, the mother was sitting on a hill together with Sorey, looking at the sky as the next day, she'll leave the village of the seraphim to search for her answer and the Lord of Calamity of this age.

"I remember tears streaming down your face." Velvet sang to Sorey in her arms, reflecting her past into the song. "When I said, 'I'll never let you go'. When all those shadows killed your light. I remember you said, 'Don't leave me here alone,' but all that's dead and gone and passed tonight.

"Just close your eyes. The sun is going down. You'll be alright, no one can hurt you now. Come morning light. You and I'll be safe and sound." Velvet starts to think about the journey together with her friends and missed them a lot before remembering what happened at Camlann. "Don't you dare look out your window, darling. Everything's on fire, the war outside our door keeps raging on. Hold onto this lullaby, even when the music's gone. Gone~

"Just close your eyes. The sun is going down, you'll be alright. No one hurt you now. Come morning light. You and I'll be safe and sound. Just close your eyes. The sun is going down, you'll be alright. No one hurt you now. Come morning light. You and I'll be safe and sound..."

Velvet sang the last lyrics and takes out Simon's amulet before putting it on Sorey, hugging him slightly. The next day, Velvet and all the seraphim was standing by the gate to the village. The therion had a cloak over her body with a shoulder bag underneath which holds the book, facing everyone with a sad smile.

"I can't thank you enough for all you've done, so please raise Sorey and Mikleo as honest people like their parents." Velvet spoke up grateful. "I'm going to miss you all, mostly Sorey."

"You're welcome here anytime, Velvet. I hope we meet once more." Zenrus said and Velvet smiled at the old man before turning to the path down to the human world.

Velvet begins to walk away, knowing there would be no going back but she has to do it in order to get her revenge on Heldalf for causing the destruction of the Origin village and killing Simon. This time it'll be different than her revenge against Artorius, she isn't angry or in despair because, this time, she does this for the sake of her family. Velvet knew that once she sees Sorey again, he'll become the Shepherd in one way or another.

  
****

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The song I don't own, it's 'Safe and Sound' by Taylor Swift feat. The Civil wars but Cover made by Lizz Robinet. Now the official beginning of Velvet's journey in the Zestiria story line begins, this story will be a mix of the game and the anime.
> 
> Hope you'll be tuned for the somewhat reunion of mother and son, see yah soon!


	9. Somewhat Reunion

It's been 17 years since Velvet left, she traveled all around Gleenwood but it wasn't for adventure nor investigating ancient ruins to find her answers. Instead, she met many people and helped them in order to get the information she needed. In return, Velvet did favors and request as a member of the Bloodwing Butterflies, she did these requests only to those she trusted enough. But in the back of her mind, Velvet couldn't stop thinking about Sorey and his growth without her but she knew it was for the best.

Now, Velvet was walking through the woods forwards Ladylake together with one of her new allies. A purple wolf that was wearing bag on its body as it walks by Velvet's side, its appearance might be seeable to humans but it was a special seraph. The Nephilim was wearing a black cloak over herself with the hood on. Underneath the cloak was a black dress that wraps around her neck, a belt was over her cleavage that goes around her shoulders, holding the long sleeves attached to the dress. A Victorian styled coat was attached in the upper part with a belt sewn into the back of the fabric as well piercings at the front. A corset like front that had ribbons crossing each other and make a bow right under her chest, a black glove was covering her left arm as the right had a gauntlet that didn't really match her clothing. On her feet was a pair of knee high boots with multiple belts in the front and a choker around her neck.

They arrived a few meters away from the town in a lake, they've never had the time to visit Ladylake in the last couple of years since they had to help a few people on their way there and was in Rolance for the most time. Once arriving, a guard asked Velvet for an ID of her being a traveler and of course she showed it to the guard but told her about the delay thanks to a merchant guild had to fix one of their carts. Velvet got on the small stone wall at the edge of the bridge and took it to get by the guild, not noticing a familiar boy coming to the same guard.

In the town square, many decorations was up and confetti came down the sky as there were a lot of people out on the streets. Velvet scanned the town with a smile and was proud of the celebration they were having.

"Looks like the Sacred Blade festival is being held after all." Velvet said proud over that they were holding the special festival after all these years.

 _"It may be because of all the chaos, that princess knight really done incredible work."_ The wolf pointed out and people couldn't hear the wolf talk so they didn't bother.

"I just hope the new Shepherd isn't like the two Shepherds I knew and takes the people before himself." Velvet pointed out, being reminded of the information she got from Zenrus when she was recovering from her wound. Michael had offered his own nephew as a sacrifice which was the reason Mikleo was turned into a seraph in the first place.

 _"Don't worry, Milady. I'm sure it will happen, your judgement is what got us here from the start."_ The wolf tried to cheer her up which worked a bit.

"Thanks for trying to cheer me up, but it isn't as easy to forget than you think." Velvet replied as they stopped while placing her hand on her hip. "Also, I want to pay a visit to Elysia while we're here. I want to meet Gramps again." Suddenly, somebody bumped into her and Velvet was pushed onto the ground.

"I'm sorry about that." A male voice said and Velvet looked up to see a boy with brown hair that was slightly spiky and green eyes holding out his hand, an image of Simon appeared on him but vanished. "Are you alright?"

"Yeah, thank you." Velvet thanked him and took his hand, the boy helped her up.

"Well, see yah!" The boy said before running away, Velvet looked at him feeling deja vu of the situation. This was almost like when she first met Rokurou in Titania under her escape but this was more normal.

"What a weird person." Velvet pointed out but couldn't stop thinking that that boy could actually be her son while the wolf chuckles.

 _"He's special, I think he has the potential of becoming a Shepherd."_ The wolf said.

"You think so, Kurumi?" Velvet asked confused.

 _"I certainly feel strong resonance from that boy, I am a seraph after all."_ Kurumi explained happy.

"Let's go to the pedestal, I want to see who is going to help me save this world again." The therion suggested and they both began to walk the same way the boy went.

The duo arrived at a sanctuary where many people was gathered at the entrance, it took some time before the two managed to get in and managed to get a decent place to watch the events. The princess-knight named Alisha held a speech together with Lady Maltran, her teacher, before things really got out of control, people watching by the pedestal was arguing and threw pebbles at the guards. Right in front of the blade was the Lady of the Lake no one besides Velvet and Kurumi could see, but everything was a planned riot and Lady of the Lake tries to stop it. One of the people in the crowd turned into a werewolf and launched himself to attack Alisha but crashed into the fire behind the Sacred Blade and it turned dark while spreading the normal flames and the dark flames around the room.

"This isn't good!" Velvet growled as she jumped back to avoid an attack from big blobs of slime.

 _"Milady, look!"_ Kurumi exclaimed and Velvet turned around to see the boy who jumped into her earlier had drawn out the sword, the woman felt the power and stared wide eyed at him.

"He was able to draw the sword out, then that means..." Velvet mumbled as she watched the boy blocking an attack from an another werewolf, sending it to the other side of the room while slimes tries to attack him as well but he avoided an attack while slashing on another, Lady of the Lake send a fire arte on it before it dissolved.

"All right! Now let's do this!" She said as they got down to attack the remaining ones.

"Well, it looks like my calm time is over." Velvet said and dashed before the two before ripping of her coat, showing what was underneath. Underneath was her long hair in its usual style and tied with black ribbons with red lining instead of the bandages that was usually there.

"You're-!" The Lady of the Lake begins to say before being cut off by Velvet.

"Lailah, you two take care of the slimes! I'll handle this werewolf!" Velvet commanded and takes out a blade from her gauntlet.

"Okay, let's go, Sorey!" Lailah said, understanding her idea.

"Right!" The boy, Sorey, agreed and the fight started. Now Velvet knew that it was her son all along but she has to think about it later.

Velvet charged with her blade, unleashing a wave of fire onto it. She takes out blades from her feet and kicked the werewolf a couple of times, her body turning black with a dark purple aura. The werewolf tries to slash her with its claws but the black haired warrior was too fast and slashed it while dashing by, getting behind it. The werewolf burst into blue flames before turning into a human. Velvet breathed out as she retract her blades back in to watch Sorey and Lailah purify the flames behind the pedestal, saving the man. Lailah got into Sorey and he suddenly begins to collapse on the floor with Alisha questioning what is happening, Velvet and Kurumi hurried over to them and Velvet placed a hand on his forehead.

"He has a high fever, is there a place for him to rest?" Velvet asked the princess.

"We can bring him to an inn nearby, there he can rest." Alisha suggested and Velvet nodded as she started to carry him on her back, thanks to her enhanced strength for becoming a therion.

Alisha led the duo through the city forwards the inn, where Velvet placed Sorey on a bed in a room as Alisha got a towel and cold water to place a cold towel on his forehead before leaving Sorey to rest. Velvet saw the seraphim watching over Sorey in the meantime as she followed Alisha to her residence leading her to the terrace, where two cups of tea had been served to them. The two women sat down at the table as Kurumi lays down next to Velvet's chair.

"Thank you for all the help." Alisha thanked Velvet grateful. "I hoped that I could thank Sorey as well."

"Don't worry, his condition is a side-effect from what happened at the festival." Velvet explained with a smile.

"You're the traveler that been able to talk with seraphim, are you not?" The princess asked and Velvet nodded as she took a small sip of her tea, being able to taste a small part of it.

"I am. My name is Velvet, Kurumi is one of the seraphim I talk to normally." The Nephilim replied, patting on the wolf a little. "Don't judge someone because of appearance, she's a powerful seraph because of that she can be seen by normal humans. You're not able to hear her talk, that's all."

"Wow, you know a lot. Does Sorey see seraphim as well?" Alisha question. Velvet smiled as she looked back at the princess.

"Seems like it, I haven't met someone that can see the seraphim for 17 years besides me. That's how long I've traveled." Velvet replied. "I'm older than what I look but what I'm interested is how you two met in the first place."

"Sorey found me in a ruin near his village, Elysia." Alisha began to tell her, Velvet begins to think back at her last moment with Sorey. "He helped me prepare things to the journey back to the capital, I was really surprised that he was able to draw the Sacred Blade out."

"Let's hope he'll recover soon, we don't want the people to worry about the Shepherd." The therion pointed out, not wanting to tell Alisha about her relationship with Sorey.

"That's true." Alisha agreed as they were conversing for a bit longer before Velvet finally left to go back to the inn, she hadn't time to check in for a room herself after what has happened.

After getting a room at the inn, Velvet and Kurumi was exhausted over the events. Before Sorey became the Shepherd, the pair had been walking for two days and fought a few rogue hellions of animals on their way to the Hyland capital. Now, they were in their room to rest as Kurumi was laying on a bed but she noticed that Velvet was still awake, sitting her bed with her back against the pillow and the bed frame while starring at her amulet.

 _"Lady Velvet, aren't you tired?"_ The wolf asked, Velvet noticed she was still awake and glances at her.

"I'm just going to stay up for just a little longer, you can rest." The Nephilim replied with a smile before looking back at her amulet in her hand, she hasn't been wearing since she left Elysia.

 _"Well, don't stay up for long. You need your rest."_ Kurumi said and lays down her head and closes her eyes, Velvet looked at her until she was sure her comrade was asleep.

"Do you think that boy is your son?" Velvet looked in front of her to see Seres standing there in front of the bed.

"It's a high chance it is, I have to ask him once he's woken up." Velvet replied. "After all, Sorey is the only human in Elysia and it has been 17 years since I left him with Zenrus. I can see Simon in that boy."

"The only way to be sure is to see if he can open and see the content of the book." Seres suggested, the therion narrowed her eyes at the mention of the book.

"It have to wait until I'm sure it is him, I'll call you out to look after him when I'm not." Velvet said, placing the amulet under her pillow before laying down to sleep. Seres smiles before going back into her body, knowing that the Nephilim had good intentions.

** \- Three days later - **

Mikleo and Lailah sat around in Sorey's room as they waited for the new Shepherd to wake up but in their minds was on Velvet and her involvement in what happened at the festival a few days ago.

"That woman... what do you know about her?" Lailah asked Mikleo.

"Not much. Sorey accidently bumped into her when we arrived. Though there is something off about her." He told her.

"I agree. The artes she uses are powerful and she has her own domain as well." Lailah commented, holding her chin. "She also managed to purify a hellion too." That's when Sorey groaned and sat up. Mikleo and Lailah greeted him and asked how he was doing.

When Sorey said he was fine, all three of them exited the room. The innkeeper and his family were glad that he was okay and offered a meal on the house. Sorey said thank you and continued out of the inn. That's when he sensed and saw it. Malevolence had corrupted the city.

"The city..." Sorey said in sadness.

"Come. Let's talk away from prying ears." Lailah said, walking away towards the port. Sorey and Mikleo followed her. Lailah then explained to them the duty of the Shepherd and his mortal enemy, the Lord of Calamity.

"The Lord of Calamity?" Mikleo questioned.

"An entity of immeasurable power and controls malevolence in this world." The voice of Velvet explained and the three turns to see the black haired girl walking forwards them without having Kurumi by her side. "Legends say that the Lord of Calamity is the cause of all malevolence." Velvet looks at Sorey with a smile. "Glad that you're awake now."

"Seems like you know a lot about him." Lailah pointed out. "You have some experience with him."

"Don't get the wrong idea, I've known about this for longer than you know. I've met two of them in two different times." Velvet replied going to the edge to look at the lake. "One of them is the one in this time and I saw a vision of him a long time ago."

"How does it connect to you?" Sorey asked and she glanced at him.

"I'm a new race called Nephilim." The therion said and shocked the group before her. "A being that have the appearance of a human but with powers of both a hellion and a seraph, it is connected to my origin and past." The boys looked at her confused and Velvet sighed in irritation. "I was trained how to fight and a few forms by a man who later on became a Shepherd."

"Wait, you were trained by a Shepherd?!" Mikleo exclaimed, not believing what he just heard.

"That's how much I want to tell you right now, it brings back bad memories that I rather forget." Velvet replied serious but a little sadness zipped through her mind. "Sorey, why do you think it is that birds fly?"

"Huh? I don't know how to answer that..." Sorey replied unsure.

"Don't worry, I'll be patient until you know your answer." Velvet assured him with a smile. "After I'm finished with my business, I think I'll join you on your journey around the world."

"Wow, that's very kind of you but we still don't know your name." Lailah pointed out and Velvet turned to them again.

"Velvet, a traveler that takes on requests to people I really trusts that isn't in capable of humans to do." The Nephilim introduced herself, holding out a hand to the Shepherd. "Nice to meet you, Shepherd."

"I'm Sorey, the water seraph is Mikleo and the other is Lailah." Sorey introduced them and shook her hand.

"I already know who Lailah is, I knew a few people that knew her." Velvet replied as they break up, getting a feel of his power by the touch. "I'm going to help you understand the purpose of being a Shepherd the right way since the Shepherds before you didn't have guidance."

"Thank you!" Sorey thanked her before Lailah started to explain for Sorey about the Lords of the land that they needed to purify Ladylake so it could have back its blessing, after they were done they decided to head back to the inn to get some food as well check on Kurumi as Velvet left her. The group of strange people walked through the door as Lailah came out.

"You know, I've always wanted to travel the world." Sorey said getting everyone's attention and Velvet looked at him with sympathy and sadness, reminding her of someone close to her. "But I never imagined it'd be so important! It's kinda weird, but I can't say I'm excited."

"I think it's safe to say that Sorey's probably the most, uh," Mikleo said trying to find the word as everyone stopped to look at him, "sheltered Shepherd in history." Velvet looked at him confused.

"You really think so?" Sorey asked sarcastic as he turned to Lailah. "Hey, Lailah, what kind of people were the other Shepherds?"

"Huh?" Lailah replied as if she didn't hear what he just said and Velvet crossed her arms. "Oh! Sorry! I missed what you said."

"So...what were the other Shepherds like?" Sorey asked again but Lailah turned away from him.

"I missed what you said." She said again and Velvet sighed, knowing what she was doing.

"Lailah?" Sorey questions her strange behavior.

"Yes?" The fire seraph replied.

"Hiding something?" Mikleo asked and once again, Lailah looked away pretending to see a butterfly flying away.

"You took an oath, am I right?" Velvet asked and Lailah nodded before looking down embarrassed. "Figured as much since you have the flames of purification now."

"What's an oath?" Mikleo asked her.

"An oath is a ritual that grants special powers depending on the restrictions you take, the harsher the restrictions the more powerful you become. In a sense, an oath can be a curse." Velvet explained while placing a hand on her hip. "A seraph mistaken me for having one when she saw the strength I had."

"The terms of my oath prohibits... things." Lailah said while still looking down.

"So, wait, does that mean there things you can't discuss?" Sorey asked but it was Velvet who answered for her.

"Looks that way, I know what it is but it's best for you to find the answers yourself." The black clothed girl suggested.

"You're kind of bad at this, aren't you." Mikleo said to Lailah.

"Does it really matter? We're traveling the world to find these answers anyway, after all." Sorey pointed out and Velvet smiled gently over the young Shepherd's happy personality.

"So we need to go investigate each land's Shepherd myths?" Mikleo questioned.

"Yes yes yes! That's 1000% correct!" Lailah replied finally.

"Seeing as Velvet wields the power of purification, I take it that other seraphim can wield it as well?" Mikleo asked and Velvet sighed.

"I'm a special case since I have an incredible power that's using my arm as it's vessel." Velvet answered, starting to get bored of all the questions the two boys was asking which she clarified that those two didn't know how things work in the world until now.

"We should get back before Sorey collapses from hunger and we have to sneak his body through the back alleys!" Lailah said clapping her hands together. "We'd better get going, chop chop, no time to waste! The food is probably ice cold by now!" Sorey nervously chuckled as they continued to walk back to the inn.


	10. Sweet Time with The Shepherd

The group arrived at the inn to meet the innkeeper waiting for them, he told the humans that he already prepared the food and meeting Kurumi in the process. The seraphim gone off somewhere as Sorey and Velvet sat down by a table as the innkeeper came out of the kitchen with a plate for them each, Sorey digged in immediately as Velvet slowly took a bite before looking at her food with a smile as she had started to be able to taste little by little over time before she continued eating. It didn't take long before they were finished.

"Whew, that was good! It really hit the spot!" Sorey said in relief and Velvet smiled.

"It really did." Velvet agreed even if she was lying and the innkeeper laughed.

"You ate like a champ!" He said as he turned to the two.

"More like a pig." Velvet pointed out and Sorey became embarrassed as he was somehow comfortable having the woman near him.

"It was delicious! You sure you don't want us to pay for it?" Sorey asked and the innkeeper nodded.

"Of course I am!" He replied.

"Thank you so much, sir!" Sorey thanked him as the innkeeper bowed with his head to the two before walking away.

"Princess Alisha is really something else, how did you two meet?" Velvet asked as she took a sip of her water.

"I found her unconscious in a ruin near my village, I was raised by seraphim together with Mikleo." The young Shepherd explained and Velvet placed her chin on top of her hand, looking interested in his story.

"No wonder you have such strong resonance." Velvet said and Sorey shakes his head.

"That's not why I have strong resonance." He replied and the traveler narrowed her eyes. "Gramps told me that I was born with it and I got it from my parents. He told me that my dad died when he protected me when I was a baby but he didn't mention anything about my mom except for her being alive, so under this journey I need to find clues about her and where I came from."

"I understand that, let's just hope we find what you're looking for." Sorey looked up to see Velvet smile. "Someone dear to me was like that."

"So you're going to join us for real?" Velvet nodded and Sorey smiled. "Thank you for everything, Velvet. I hope we make a good team."

"Oh, I have something for you. A gift arrived from Lady Alisha." The innkeeper said and they both stood up.

"Huh? What could it be?" Sorey asked as they goes to the reception table to see a few of Sorey's things on it. "Huh, it's... a letter, my sword, bag, and... clothes?" Their seraph friends came to them and heard what Sorey said.

"Ah, perfect timing. Go get changed, you kinda smell." Mikleo pointed out to his childhood friend.

"I never thought about it, did you two?" Velvet asked the girls and Lailah shakes her head while Kurumi giggled.

 _"Because of everything that had been going on, I don't think nobody thought about it until now."_ Kurumi said and Sorey scratched the back of his head as he chuckled as well.

"All right, then. I'll go get changed." Sorey said as he takes his things and walks to his room as the others wait in the lobby.

After a couple of minutes, Sorey came out with new attachments to his old clothes. A silver colored glove was on his left hand and more belts was attached onto his wrists, his blue shirt was now full buttoned up and tucked into his pants. The most interesting feature was the white cape with black lining and markings.

"Oh my!" Lailah exclaimed in surprise.

"Not bad!" Milkleo said and you could see a little jealousy in his eyes.

"It fits you." Velvet pointed out even though it reminded her of her past.

"How about it?" Sorey asked and Kurumi waved her tail.

 _"It's truly fitting for the Shepherd."_ The wolf replied excited. _"It was really made for you!"_

"It looks fantastic on you, Lord Shepherd!" The innkeeper said impressed.

"It really does! So dashing!" His wife said.

"Oh man! I want one!" Their son said jealous.

"It's the garb of the Shepherd handed down from tradition in Ladylake. You wear it well." Lailah pointed out.

"So you can put lipstick on a pig." Mikleo said which made Velvet try to hold her laugh.

"Just admit it, Mikleo, you're jealous." Sorey said a little irritated and the water seraph crossed his arms.

"Yeah, you wish." Mikleo snorted before Velvet turned her head to Sorey.

"What's in the letter?" She asked and Sorey takes it out from his pocket.

"Well, let's see." The Shepherd said and begins to read the letter out to his friends.

_"Dear Sorey,_

_I was surprised that you fainted so suddenly. I hope your rest at the inn was rejuvenating. When I learned that you can communicate with Seraphim, beings of divine nature who cannot be seen by ordinary people, when I saw you draw the Sacred Blade from the Lady of the Lake and quell the riot at the festival before my eyes..._

_My heart leaped with joy the like of which I've never known. The only thing I can think of to tell you is a sincere, heartfelt thanks. I hope you do not find this strange. Though I do think that my true feelings do not come across well in a letter._

_I know that, as the Shepherd, you are soon to embark on a journey to save the world. But once you are awake, I would like you to come and visit me at my home._

_P.S. - Did you have a chance to try on the clothes I got for you? They're modeled after the traditional garb of the legendary Shepherd. I hope they are to your liking."_

Sorey looked up from the letter, having finished reading it.

"Looks to me that my hunch was correct." Velvet mumbled to herself with a smile and crossed arms.

 _"I knew we could trust that girl with our knowledge."_ Kurumi said in understanding, nodding for herself.

"My! What a kind-hearted young woman!" Lailah pointed out.

"Yeah, seriously, I should be the one who's thanking her!" Sorey said with excitement.

"Why not doing it in person, then?" Mikleo asked, knowing what Sorey would say if he didn't.

"Good idea, let's go." Sorey agreed as Lailah got back inside him and Velvet smiled as she was reminded of her little brother.

"But remember, don't over do yourself after all you woke up not long ago." The Nephilim told the Shepherd, who nodded.

After saying goodbye to the innkeeper's family, Velvet lead Sorey and Mikleo to Alisha's residence as she and Kurumi have been there before. Under the walk, the group pointed out Sorey's new clothing and Kurumi explained what happened when she started a conversation with the two seraphim which had surprised Mikleo quite a bit, Sorey started to tease his friend because of this and Velvet found out that he was scared of dogs even though he's a seraph. As they arrived, a guard noticed them.

"Ah, the Shepherd! Miss Crowe!" The guard said and the two looked at him. "Have you need of Lord Alisha? She's on the terrace as we speak." The two nodded as they understood.

"Thanks, we'll see if we can find her." Velvet said and they walked in to the terrace, where Alisha was waiting for them.

"Sorey! You came!" Alisha exclaimed happily before noticing Velvet and Kurumi. "Velvet! Thank you for coming!"

"Of course, I have a feeling that I should come." Velvet said as she took a chair to sit on.

"Looks like you got my gift, the Shepherd's garb looks wonderful on you!" Alisha pointed out to Sorey.

"Thanks." Sorey thanked her for the comment.

"Some fine lipstick on that pig." Mikleo said and Sorey turned around to the seraphim him behind him while Velvet tried to keep in a giggle.

"Yes, Mikleo, we all know your opinion." Sorey told him a little irritated.

"What? Pigs are nice." The water seraph said back as the Shepherd turned back to the human, who was looking around in confusion and Velvet knew why, the princess didn't have strong resonance enough to see seraphim like they did but judging by the reaction, she could sense their presence.

"I, uh, I take it there's a seraph present with you?" Alisha asked them.

"More like seraphim." Velvet pointed out. "But yes, there are seraphim present."

"My apologies, I forgot Kurumi is a seraph as well." Alisha apologized. Kurumi nodded as an answer. "To be honest, up until the events that took place at the Sacred Blade Festival this year I wouldn't have. But even from the moment we met, I could tell... How can I put it. There was something..."

"Different about us?" Velvet finished for her and Alisha nodded. "It's normal to do that, mostly me under my travels." Sorey chuckled nervously while scratching the back of his head.

"Well, Velvet's right, you know." Mikleo agreed and the Nephilim smiled a little.

The next thing that had happened was Sorey's little performance to introduce Mikleo and Lailah, Sorey probably didn't get it until the end that Alisha couldn't see nor hear them at all which made the scene even more ridiculous. Velvet was just sitting and watching amused as this is the first time she's seen someone trying so hard to make someone believe in heavenly beings that once was slaves and weapons to mankind, when Alisha finally been able to speak with Lailah when Sorey held her hand, closed his eyes and even held his breath, Sorey proved he didn't have a long time to hold his breath which made Velvet laugh at the scene as he had interrupted Mikleo talking to the princess. Once they were done with their little show, Sorey decided to look around Ladylake and even asked Velvet if she would join him but Velvet told him that the reason for coming to Ladylake wasn't just watch the festival. The main reason for the duo to come was that they had taken a request from one of their allies and to find clues about the Lord of Calamity. The two paranormal humans split up to do what they had to but they knew they would cross paths again.


	11. Trip to Galahad Ruins

A while later, Velvet and Kurumi was walking around to find some information that would lead them in some direction but haven't had any luck yet. The duo of travelers had just talked to a merchant and decided to regroup with Sorey and the others to check if they've found anything on their end. Velvet and Kurumi walked back to the inn to see if they had returned from their little sightseeing when they saw Mikleo coming out of the building when they arrived.

"Hey, Mikleo." Velvet greeted, getting the water seraph's attention.

"Oh, hi, Velvet. Kurumi." Mikleo replied.

 _"Something wrong?"_ Kurumi asked. _"Where's Lord Sorey and Lady Lailah?"_

"Me and Sorey got into a fight in the aqueduct ruins under Ladylake." Mikleo explained a bit guilty. "He told me that I have no means to purify hellions as well keep me from becoming a Sub-Lord to help him."

"Do you know where they're heading after that?" Velvet asked and Mikleo nodded.

"They're heading forwards Galahad Ruins with Alisha, who just became Sorey's Squire, they are going to get pure water free from malevolence to use as a vessel for the Lord of the Land." Mikleo continued. "Lailah has been leaving letters for me to know where they are going."

"Then let's go." Velvet replied suddenly before walking away.

"Really, just like that?" Mikleo questioned and Velvet stopped before glancing at him.

"Yep, just like that." She repeated. "We don't want our Shepherd to get into trouble."

"But-!" Mikelo was cut off by Velvet raising her hand in the air.

"Did you forget that I have the flames of purification as well?" Velvet asked. "You can come with us if you like, it doesn't matter to me."

 _"You may need the power of purification to 'purify' hellions but you don't need it to 'fight' them."_ Kurumi pointed out. _"You can fight, am I right?"_ Mikleo smiled at the two as they proved a really good point in everything and nodded.

"Let's check on our friends before they get into trouble." Velvet told them before they ran away to the direction of the ruins to help their friends.

Once they got to the plains outside of town, Velvet saw a special but familiar butterfly flying away which the therion recognize very much as it was Seres' physical form outside her body thanks to Velvet's new abilities. Velvet convinced the two seraphim to follow her but before she could lead them further, hellions came to them.

"Really now, they never seem to give up even though I'm stronger than them." Velvet said bored as the hellions was only a pack of wolves and snakes. "You two, stay back. I'll take care of this on my own." Velvet takes out her gauntlet blade and goes into battle.

 _"Don't worry, it'll be over in a few small minutes."_ Kurumi explained to the water seraph. _"Lady Velvet is an experienced opponent, you have to be prepared to what's to come."_

"What do you mean?" Mikleo asked as he glanced at the wolf before looking back at Velvet's fight without her fighting without much effort.

 _"You'll see."_ Kurumi replied. Once Velvet was done, she retracted her blade and turned back to the seraphim before she noticed something behind Mikleo and ran to them.

"Look out!" Velvet called out and pushed Mikleo to the ground before taking out her therion form to devour another wolf hellion. Mikleo just started terrified over the scene as the hellion was completely devoured into her arm and it turned back to normal. "You okay, Mikleo?"

"What happened to your arm?! What happened to that hellion?!" Mikleo yelled in shock and fear before Velvet looked at him serious.

"Like I told you back in Ladylake, I'm a hellion, seraph and human in one and the same being." The Nephilim told him. "My hellion powers are one of a kind, it allows me to devour malevolence of different beings and areas to get stronger. It's really useful when you get into a fight with monsters."

"A hellion that devours hellions is really a thing." Mikleo said hushed to himself as he stood up from the ground. "I never knew a hellion with such a power existed."

"When I was just a hellion, I couldn't spread malevolence as well as now. I never did." Velvet confessed without looking at him as she continued on the path. "I guess people just thought of me as just a monster and a freak."

Mikleo just watched at the black haired woman's back, he was still scared of her after what just happened but he could feel that Velvet wanted to look for him so he wouldn't get hurt. He didn't know if the therion cared for him or she was doing it for a different reason he didn't know.

While walking forwards the entrance to the ruins, Mikleo something knew about Velvet he didn't notice before. She's an experienced hunter as she checked the grounds for footprints and things that seemed out of the ordinary while following the butterfly before them. The trials led through to a ruined little village that probably had been abandoned for some time which made Velvet get reminded of Camlann. As they walk further away, they noticed the entrance of the ruins was already opened which meant Sorey, Alisha and Lailah was already in there and the trio could sensed malevolence pouring out of it. The entrance was like a cellar door with a wide and long stone steps.

"Mikleo, stay close to me." Velvet ordered him. "My domain protects you from malevolence."

"A-alright." Mikleo stuttered, still a little nervous around the Nephilim.

"I know you're scared of me right now." Velvet pointed out and the water seraph looked down at the ground, guilty. "I've seen many people with that same reaction but there's people who think this ability of mine can make something good to the world. It was an old seraph, who I thought as a father I never had, told me that." Mikleo looked at her with surprise over the small smile on her face.

"So you're not angry at me for doing that?" Mikleo asked and Velvet looked at him.

"Why would I do that when I'm used to it?" She questioned. "Humans can sometimes be too scared of things that misunderstand everything."

 _"What Lady Velvet is saying, people don't always understand new things that can't be explained from their perspective."_ Kurumi explained. _"They won't believe in things that they can't explain. You've just experienced that yourself and the others will understand once they see it."_

"You're right, I can admit that I was scared and still am. But I can see now that you just didn't want me to get hurt." Mikleo confessed and Velvet nodded in acknowledgement.

"Let's go, be prepared for hellions down here." The therion said and they walked down to the Galahad ruins.

As they tried to navigate through the ruins, the trio got into a couple of fights with hellions that was taken care of quickly. Velvet had memorized many enemies weak points and told Mikleo to go to attack instead of defense and support as there was sometimes hellions that were weak to water, like Arthur once said to her: 'Know your foes, and strike where they're weak'. Mikleo, on the other hand, was impressed with Velvet's experience and knowledge. He'd seen her sometimes using her Break Soul artes which changed depending on the enemy type. Kurumi was standing on the sidelines as support as the wolf explained that is because of her oath.

Kurumi explained that her oath to transform into a human but at the prize of being visible to humans and have to make a contract with someone with incredible power to use it, once the contracter chants a special chant, the contract will be fulfilled and Kurumi would be able to help in a fight together with them. Velvet then told them she didn't want to miss use her powers until it was absolutely necessary which activate another contract that makes Kurumi her bodyguard in some ways.

After some time, they arrived at an altar after hearing what must have been Sorey, Alisha and Lailah talking but they were gone when they got to the altar. On it was a beautiful blue and white bow and when Velvet was about to touch it, the Sorcerer's ring appeared on her finger and radiates a fiery red aura.

"This bow is a Divine Artifact, Simon told me about these." Velvet remembered as Mikleo walked over to her.

"A Divine Artifact?" The water seraph asked and Velvet looked at him, nodding.

"A Divine Artifact is what it sounds like, it's an artifact that have incredible power. It's one of the things needed to do a complete armatus, a special power to the Shepherd." Velvet explained as she stood up. "This bow has the power of water and can activate the power of the water armatus. I wonder why Sorey didn't take it with him."

"That's because I'm not his Sub-Lord." Mikleo pointed out. "That's what Sorey and I fought about earlier."

"I see, he doesn't want to get you involved." Velvet concluded. "Then you should take it, I can't use it since it has the water element."

"Okay, if you say so." Mikleo replied and took the bow. Just then, Kurumi got stiff and started to growl at the path further in.

"What is it, Kurumi?" Velvet asked alarmed.

 _"There's a great amount of malevolence further in, I can sense Shepherd Sorey's domain in the same area."_ Kurumi explained which made the two get on high alert. _"They are heading straight forwards the hellions!"_

"This whole ruin is crawling with hellions that are strong against fire." Mikleo said, remembering Velvet mentioning it earlier. "If Lailah is with them, then they won't stand a chance if they don't find another way."

"You picked up on my lesson." The therion pointed out impressed. "Sometime, I maybe should teach you and Sorey a few things about combat. Kurumi, let's go."

 _"I have their sent, I know where they went. Come on!"_ The purple wolf said as she ran off with Velvet and Mikleo right behind her tail.

They hurried in fast pace while avoiding many hellions to hurry over there, Velvet was the one who was worried the most. She knew Sorey was her son so she had a duty to protect him, even if the mother didn't know how or when to tell the truth now that Sorey knows about the Lord of Calamity. If her old past as a murderous monster was to get lose then she didn't know what to do or what Sorey and the others will do to her. Not even Kurumi know Velvet's true identity. The trio see what looked the light of flames in one of the corridors and hurried over there to see Sorey and Alisha fighting giant poisonous centipedes which was really hard for the two as Sorey was in the armatus.

His hair had gotten as long as Velvet's hair but in a ponytail and blonde, his outfit was white and gold with details of red while his eyes and earrings had turned red as well. He was holding a longsword in his hands that Velvet presumed to be the Sacred Blade from the festival, she found out when she accidently got lost in a giant ruins once where information of the complete formula to the armatus. So this was the first time she saw a complete armatus that wasn't fused with an Empyrean like Artorius but Sorey was out of energy to keep the armatus on as he transformed back.

"Mikleo, Kurumi! Keep the centipedes distracted so we can get some time!" Velvet ordered.

"Alright!" Mikleo agreed, raiding the bow as he was the only one that could use it.

 _"Roger!"_ Kurumi replied. Velvet ran forwards as Mikleo shots three water arrows on the centipedes, getting Sorey's attention.

"Mikleo! Velvet!" Sorey exclaimed in happiness as Velvet got to Alisha in case the hellions would raise again. "You couldn't have timed that bet..." Mikleo was walking right past him. "... ter?!"

"Lailah! Let me become your Sub Lord!" Mikleo said serious to Lailah.

"Are sure about this?" The fire seraph asked.

"He's sure alright, why else does he want to follow after you." Velvet replied, shocking them.

"Wait, hold on now!" Sorey said and the water seraph glared at him.

"Velvet and Kurumi taught me that I don't need the flames of purification to fight!" Mikleo retarded angry, still upset of the fight earlier. "Oh, yeah. You're right, I am stubborn as a rock!" Sorey looked at him confused. "I admit it. I'm hell-bent on becoming a Sub Lord. But there's something important that you don't understand!"

"I do understand! I just didn't want you to get involved!" The Shepherd exclaimed.

"Stop fighting and become friends already!" Velvet shouted, getting the two's attention as the centipedes got up. "Mikleo is already as involved as it is, it was his choice to come here. Do you really think that dream is yours alone?" The centipedes were about to attack Velvet but she takes out her therion arm absorbing some of their power and malevolence. "Rush Strafe!" Velvet takes out her gauntlet blade and swings it multiple times together with the power of wind that makes tornados underneath the hellions, which make them float in the air.

"Sorey! Do what Velvet and Mikleo says!" Alisha agreed as she helped Velvet fight the centipedes.

 _"You can hear us?!"_ Kurumi asked in surprise.

"Then that means Alisha has resonance strong enough to be able to hear seraphim and maybe even see them." Velvet mumbled to herself as she used a martial arte.

"This is our dream." Sorey concluded as he holds up his arm with Mikleo doing the same as they smiled at each other, Velvet took a glance at them with a smile.

 _'Looks like we both were right about them, Simon.'_ Velvet thought, remembering the day when the couple was talking about the boys' future.

"Now, Lailah!" Sorey and Mikleo said together and Lailah smiled while she was bowing, taking Mikleo's hand as Sorey got to the fight.

"Thank you for bringing Mikelo here!" Sorey thanked the black haired warrior.

"Like I said, it was his choice." Velvet replied, before focusing on the hellions while Lailah was saying the incantation.

As they fought, one of the many centipedes charge at the two but Velvet was fast enough to jump onto it with her therion arm at its head, devouring it was Lailah shortened the chant which shocked the water seraph a bit as Sorey now became his vessel as well. Mikleo now could join in the fight without worry.

"He already knows my true name." Mikleo replied, who the others presumed was for Lailah.

"Heck, yeah, I know it!" Sorey exclaimed and the two nodded to each other. "Luzrov Rulay!" He turned into the armatus but instead of red, it was now blue and was holding the bow but in a more detail.

Sorey now could shot water based seraphic artes with the bow as the whole team worked together to defeat the hellions, thanks to the armatus made quick work and stunned them for the most time as the centipedes were weak to water of all kinds in particular, the others had the chance to strike and defeat them. Once all defeated, the group gathered up.

"That was amazing, you two!" Alisha commented as they got to the two when Sorey took off the armatus, surprising Lailah a bit.

"Oh, were you able to remove it?" The fire seraph asked, Sorey and Velvet looked at her confused.

"Now that you mention it, it just... came off." Sorey replied.

"Wait, you weren't able to take off the armatus?" Velvet asked, not understanding the situation.

"When we first used it, Sorey could activate it but not take it off. We've been trying to figure it out." Lailah explained the situation. "He's a bit of a mess and complicated."

"I see. There's complications to his powers as the Shepherd for reasons unknown." Velvet concluded before thinking, _'Could those complications be caused by his powers that he got from birth?'_

"Does it really matter?" Sorey asked them. "Besides, this means that I can now use the armatus at will, right?"

 _"Seems like it, but you still need practice to use armatization to its full potential."_ Kurumi suggested.

"Lost those training wheels? Look at you!" Mikleo pointed out.

"Shut up!" Sorey replied simply. "Mikleo, I just wanted to say..."

"Don't thank me." The water seraph cut him off. "After all, I merely did this for my own dream. With a little help from Velvet." The Shepherd playfully hit him.

"I know that." Sorey said and the boys playfully started to hit or even tickling each other. Velvet smiled at the scene that the boys finally got back to each other.

"Velvet, I was meaning to ask you about that ability in your arm." Lailah asked the woman.

"My hellion type is one of a kind, I'm what's called a therion. I can devour malevolence from creatures or environments but it recur that I break the core which leads to death." Velvet explained her ability. "That's what I did to that hellion that almost hit you."

 _"Lady Alisha, I noticed that you were able to hear Lord Mikleo and Lady Lailah's voices earlier. Do you have the ability to see seraphim as well?"_ Kurumi asked and Alisha looked at the wolf with a smile.

"Yes. Not only can I hear your voice but I can see you now." Alisha answered, her answer stopped the two childhood friends to stop.

"No way! You can see seraphim now?" Sorey said excited and Alisha nodded.

"Looks like you've gotten quite strong in just a few days." Velvet pointed out but saw Sorey starting to lose his balance and hurried over to him to keep him on his feet, like the mother figure she used to be to Laphicet. "You okay, Sorey?"

"Yeah, I'm just a little exhausted." The green eyed boy replied.

"It must have been all that fighting today, you should take it easy for now." Velvet suggested. "Let's get the water before heading back and don't think about you having a chance against a Lord of Calamity when you already get exhausted like this." Sorey chuckled nervously as the Nephilim knew exactly what he was about to say.

"Lailah, Mikleo, Kurumi... Please accept my sincerest gratitude for saving me." Alisha thanked the seraphim around them.

"It was nothing, I assure you. But you're welcome." Mikleo said and Velvet giggled a bit.

"I thought we weren't supposed to be thanking you!" Sorey teased him and the two once again started to mess with each other.

 _"Those two are really inseparable."_ Kurumi pointed out.

"No kidding." Velvet agreed, being reminded of Simon a bit but for a good purpose.

"All right, the waterfall is just up ahead." Alisha declared and they all nodded before they walked further inside.

After a while, the group arrived at a waterfall that was coming out of the wall into a basin. Velvet got down on one knee to look at the water to see if it was pure enough to be at the sanctuary, the water was crystal clear which was a sign it wasn't polluted by malevolence.

"Looks like it is as pure as it can be." Velvet concluded as she stood back up. "But we can't carry it, it'll get tainted by malevolence."

"Mikleo, do you think you can freeze this water?" Lailah asked the water seraph.

"Huh? Uh, yeah, don't see why not." Mikleo replied.

 _"When you freeze the water, it is going to be highly resistant to being corrupted by malevolence."_ Kurumi pointed out.

"Exactly." Lailah agreed.

"Very well, I'll give it a try." Mikleo said as he takes out his staff and swings it as a clump of ice came out of the pool which he grabbed to show the group.

"Thank you very much, that should be enough." Lailah said.

"Now, before this melts, we'd better take care of our other problem." Alisha told them.

Suddenly, something in Sorey's pocket glow bright and showed something shocking to Velvet. It was a vision with Michael writing the Celestial record with Velvet, Simon and Muse coming to check on him in his room before he got up from his desk to greet them but none of their faces was shown which was a good thing. Velvet remembered that day as it was just a couple of days after the boys births and Muse wanted Michael to meet them before he was going back to his work.

"You got an Earthen Historia?" Velvet asked nervous because it brought back memories of when she almost died in the hands of her despair and Innominat.

"Yeah, Lailah gave it to me in the aqueduct in Ladylake but I couldn't activate it." Sorey explained, looking at the woman. "How do you know?"

"Experience. It wasn't a good experience to see everything about myself repeat itself in visions." Velvet gritted, not liking to be reminded of that event. "They show events that already happened and are created through the flow of energy beneath ground called earth pulses, it's the earth that records history and sometimes comes up to the surface."

"So the one writing is the one who is the author of the Celestial record." Mikleo summeraced for the group.

"There are more Earthen Historia where this came from." Lailah told them. "If we obtain them, surely we can obtain more information about the past."

 _'Let's hope none of those are about me.'_ Velvet begged as she wanted to tell Sorey herself about who she really was.

"Oh, man, this is too sweet!" Sorey exclaimed as he ran a few meters away from the group with excitement.

"This is only the beginning. Don't get so worked up." Mikleo pointed out. "Remember what Velvet said."

"Right." The Shepherd replied before falling on his back. Everyone hurried over to him to check his condition as Velvet placed a hand on his forehead.

"Looks like he got a fever again, possibly for the vessel pact like before." The therion concluded. "Looks like I have to carry him back to the inn again just like last time."

"I better make more ice to cool him down." Mikleo suggested and Velvet nodded.

 _"It'll be dangerous with all of the hellions in the area. Milady, I think it's best that you devour the malevolence as much as possible."_ Kurumi told her.

"That's probably for the best." Velvet agreed, as she stood up to walk further away from them as she takes out her therion arm and struck the ground.

It had been a while since the Nephilim had devoured that much malevolence, it was satisfying in a weird way but this meant she was getting stronger. This way she would be able to protect Sorey with this power. As soon as the particles of malevolence disappeared from the air, Velvet took Sorey on her back as the group began to walk back to Ladylake so Sorey could rest up.


	12. Lord of The Land & Dangerous Encounter

The next day, Velvet, Alisha and the seraphim was in Sorey's room as they waited for him to wake up once again. Velvet was dipping the towel again in cold water to make sure his fever was going down. She was being reminded of the days she took care of Laphi whenever his fevers would come back, she really missed her brother and sister, the old days before she became who she is now.

"It seems strange to see you taking care of Sorey like this." Mikleo pointed out and Velvet glared at him after placing the towel back on the Shepherd's forehead.

"For your information, someone dear to me used to have fevers daily, I'm quite used to it." Velvet explained with her arms crossed. Lailah and Alisha giggled at this.

"Well, we can all see that Velvet have a kind side than just a warrior and we know that she has an instinct to protect." Lailah said and Velvet looked away in embarrassment as it had been a long time since someone said something nice to her in that way.

 _"Lady Velvet have done many things under her time,"_ Kurumi explained, _"We think we know how to purify a full fledged dragon."_ The people in the room were shocked, Lailah was the one that was most shocked.

"One of my old comrades have turned into a dragon, he helped me a lot under my last journey." Velvet continued, thinking about Eizen. "I owe him many things and he made me realize a few things that I did was stupid."

"How are you going to purify a dragon?" Lailah asked worried.

"I'm planning to use my therion powers to draw out the malevolence in order to use the power of purification but it won't be easy since we need a team of people to fight in order to weaken it enough for me to do it." Velvet told them her plan. "I haven't tried it yet and it's risky if Sorey isn't strong enough, the dragons are weaker than a Lord of Calamity. If he can't defeat a dragon then he's hopeless against the Lord of Calamity."

"I see, it's much harder than we realized." Alisha concluded.

 _"With Alisha's resonance now almost in pair with Sorey's, she might be able to use the armatus as well."_ Kurumi said, knowing the information of the armatus from Velvet. _"But let's save that conversation for when Sorey wakes up."_ Everyone nodded in agreement.

"His fever have gotten down quite fast." Mikleo pointed out.

"That is true." Alisha said in agreement as she placed a hand on his forehead as well taking off the towel.

"I'm surprised it only took him one day to recover. It took three when he forged a pact with me." Lailah said as they all noticed he's about to wake up.

"It depends on the strength and power a seraph have when you make the pact, have seen it with my own eyes how it would take." Velvet told her. "Also with how many you have already makes the difference."

"He has definitely got natural ability as a Shepherd." Mikleo pointed out and Velvet looked away guilty.

 _'It's all because of me, he was born from a monster with abilities that no one know of.'_ Velvet thought guilty as she was being reminded of the past and curled her hands into fists.

"Velvet, are you alright?" Mikleo asked and the black haired woman looked at the water seraph.

"I'm fine, just thinking about something." Velvet half lied as they heard groaning from Sorey waking up. "Glad you could wake up."

"I-I must have fainted again..." Sorey moaned exhausted. "Sorry."

"Don't worry about it, at least you're okay." Velvet said caring as Sorey sat up on the side. "I had to carry you here, again."

"Thank you, Velvet." Sorey thanked the woman and stood up but as he took a step forward, Sorey swing side by side and Velvet had her arms out in case if he lost balance.

"Don't overwork yourself! You still need to rest!" Lailah said worried.

"What Lailah said is true, you can't overwork your body like this." Velvet said in concern over her son's condition. "You might collapse for real this time."

"I'll be fine." Sorey tried to convince them. "We gotta find the Lord of the Land and someone to pray at the sanctuary before the ice melts."

"Sorey, I won't allow you to fight like this." Velvet told him serious. "You've unlocked and used two armatus yesterday, your body's exhausted and your mana have just started to refill again."

 _"Let us do most of the fighting from now on until you've recovered."_ Kurumi said, agreeing with her partner.

Everyone looked at each other before nodding, saying that they agreed with the terms as well follow Sorey to the goal they were doing in first place. Alisha suggested they should find a priest called Breunor, who might be the only priest who believes in the seraphim. The group searched the town until they heard some people talking about prayers of the seraphim in an alleyway, it was Father Breunor and woman that was talking to each other. The group watched as Bruenor was trying to not accept the money from the woman which was a sign how corrupted Ladylake was nowadays, eventually he accepted the money and the woman walked away and Breunor noticed them.

"Princess?!" Father Breunor exclaimed.

"I'm here to ask a favor." Alisha said in her usual princess demeanor.

"Of me? What could I..." Father Breunor trailed off, not knowing what to say.

"We would like to ask you to enshrine and look after a new seraph in our town's sanctuary." Alisha explained. "This is a request from the Shepherd."

"The Shepherd?! You mean this boy is the..."

"The one and only, we saw it with our own eyes." Velvet pointed out with a smile and Breunor started to be ashamed over accepting the money.

"F-forgive me." The priest begged ashamed.

"You are not to be blamed." The princess told him. "It is the fault of the royal family that so many have strayed from the noble path." Those words reminded the Nephilim about the Abbey's control over Midgand and many people strayed away from the path thanks to Artorius.

"Excuse me, if I may." Sorey suddenly said and walked forward Father Breunor. "It's nice to meet you. My name's Sorey and this is Velvet." Sorey suddenly sat down on his knees in front of the priest, Alisha giggled and Velvet pinched her nose to try not to laugh as this reminded her of Simon's own actions.

"You're just like your father." Velvet mumbled amused.

"I'd like you to be the one to worship at the sanctuary for the protection of Ladylake." Sorey explained while bowing which made it harder for the women to not laugh at him. "I'm sorry for all the trouble I've caused by pulling the Sacred Blade so carelessly. I know I'm still a fledgling Shepherd who hasn't gotten used to things yet, but I promise I will do my best!"

"Now you're acting exactly like him." Velvet mumbled even more amused by her son's actions and behaviour. Father Breunor then sat down on his knees as well.

"Y-yes, of course! I-it's quite alright!" Father Breunor said nervous over Sorey's behaviour. "Please, do not prostrate yourself so!" Sorey looked up with a smile on his face.

"Thank you." Sorey thanked the priest. Alisha laughed a little before walking next to Sorey to sit down next to him.

"This request comes from me and Velvet as well." Alisha said. "Please, help me so that I in turn may help this... inexperienced but pure-of-heart Shepherd!"

"Of course." Father Breunor agreed. "I am honored that I may possibly be of service to ones such as yourselves. Though I am frail of body, I shall perform the task at hand with the entirety of my spirit!"

"That would be of good help, thank you." Velvet thanked the priest, knowing that Ladylake would be safer from malevolence when they found the seraph that can become the Lord of the Land.

"I'm glad." Sorey agreed until he moaned and started to shake his leg lightly. "Aww man, my foot's asleep!" Everyone laughed at his antics.

"Seriously? That's what happens when you sit on it for too long." Velvet giggled as they started to laugh together. After talking with Father Breunor a bit more, the three sitting down on the ground stood up as the sign to leave.

"Well then, Father Breunor. When you're ready, I will visit you again." Alisha said as a sign of gratitude.

"As you wish. Do be careful!" Breunor said before walking away.

Now the group had almost everything they needed to protect Ladylake, now what's missing is a seraph that is willing to be the Lord of the Land. While the group was walking forward the plains to look for a seraph, they were talking about Sorey's behavior with Breunor before hearing something about a bridge that had been destroyed by a water spirit so they decided to check it out as it sounded like a hellion would do that.

When the group arrived, it was pouring rain which was strange as in other areas it was sunny. This could only be a work of a hellion or a seraph and in the stream was a broken bridge that was impossible to cross the other side thanks to the strong stream. Alisha walked to the guards to ask about what happened while Velvet and Sorey walked up to the stream to look at it with worried looks over what did it.

"This wasn't caused by rain." Velvet concluded, seeing that the whole bridge had collapsed, Mikleo and Lailah came out so the therion and Kurumi could hear as well.

"The current is odd considering the water level." Mikleo pointed out.

"I have a bad feeling about this." Lailah said nervous.

 _"You're not the only one, Lady Lailah."_ Kurumi agreed and Sorey nodded as well before the humans turned to the guard behind them.

"You should evacuate." Sorey told the guard and some civilians started to gather around.

"Finally, someone who's talking some sense." An old man said in relief.

"Who are you?!" The guard asked irritated.

"Alisha, this place isn't safe for them. The thing that did this might come back." Velvet explained to the princess, who nodded as she understood what the woman meant.

"All right. Do as Sorey and Velvet suggests." Alisha told the guard.

"Sorey? You can't possibly mean the Shepherd?!" A man next to the guard asked in surprise.

"Velvet? As in Velvet Crowe, the traveler that is said to talk with spirits." The old man said impressed. "That is a name I haven't heard for a while! If they are, maybe they can stop the flood!"

"You really think there's anything that can stop the water spirit's rampage?" A young man asked as he was sitting by a tree nearby.

"Water spirit?" Sorey asked confused even though he knew what the young man meant.

"It's terrible. Destroyed the bridge in an instant." The young man explained a little scared. "It's some sort of... Monster!"

"Silence! Enough with your nonsense!" The guard ordered.

Just then, a big water spout appeared in the stream which in the newcomers eyes, was revealed to be an Ouroboros. All the people around them started to get scared.

"W-What?" Said the brown haired man.

"The water spirit!" The young man answered.

"Run to safety!" Velvet ordered them.

"That's an order, hurry!" Alisha said and they all ran away so the group could handle the situation.

The fight wasn't so difficult, probably because it was weaker than it usually was. This meant that it newly transformed into a hellion and Velvet knew this monster well which worried her a bit, when something become a hellion it is usually because of their malevolence but when a seraph turn into a hellion it'll always grow bigger before it turn into a dragon. This Ouroboros was a seraph. When they finished fighting and purified it, it revealed to be a male water seraph which was great shock for the beginners in the group.

"The hellion... turned into a seraph?!" Mikleo exclaimed in absolute shock.

"It's the other way around. Hellions that are strong enough to manifest themselves are those that were once seraphim." Lailah explained which shocked Mikleo a bit more.

"A seraph can become a hellion?!" The water seraph asked.

"Yeah, they can. I've seen it with my own eyes." Velvet told him. "Why would I make sure you stayed in my domain back in the ruin? Because of what would happen to you if the malevolence would overtake you."

"And seraphim that have completely turned into hellion are also known as..." Lailah paused for a second. "...Dragons."

"Dragons? Those really exists?!" Sorey asked.

"They aren't mare legends and fairytales, they truly exists." Velvet explained while crossing her arms. "I fought a few dragons and they are no joke." Sorey looked sadly down to finally know about the true nature of dragons. The moment was short as the water seraph started to gain consciousness, Velvet walked over to him to help him up on his feet.

"Thank you." The water seraph thanked her.

"I'm Velvet and this is Kurumi." The therion introduced herself and the wolf partner. "We're here with the Shepherd and helped purify you."

"I see. I'm very grateful you did." The seraph thanked them, he turned to the destroyed bridge in guilt over what he have done. "So the wrecking of the bridge was all... all my fault."

 _"That is not entirely your fault, you were succumbed by malevolence."_ Kurumi told him. _"We can't control ourselves when we're turned into a hellion. That's what makes it dangerous."_ The seraph turned to them as Sorey and the seraphim came over to them.

"I'm so ashamed. If you hadn't been here to purify me, I don't know what would have happened." The seraph said ashamed over his actions. "Thank you."

"I'm really glad we were able to save you..." Sorey said before thinking back at that Uno would have become a dragon.

"That's the new Shepherd, Sorey." Velvet introduced him. "We never caught your name."

"I'm Uno." The seraph replied.

"Uno, in exchange for saving you, we would like to ask you favor, would you be willing to listen?" Sorey asked. Uno looked at him confused before nodding. "I would ask you to bless Ladylake."

"But as things currently stand in that town..." Uno pointed out worried.

The group then heard laughing from the villagers nearby that had been watching them as well the rain stopped. Somehow they were having a good time even though they were in danger a few minutes ago, something that was rare in both Hyland and Rolance. Velvet just smiled at the big progress since she left the world in a state of chaos to work itself back up in peace, she made sure that humans would rely on themselves instead of the Shepherds or malakhim because now normal humans can't know of their existence.

"So there are still people here who believe..." Uno said in relief.

"Don't underestimate humans, they've changed much under the time your existence has been hidden." Velvet pointed out, remembering how much the world changed because of Laphicet. "Will you do it?"

"Well, you did help me get back to my old self." Uno replied.

"Then you'll help?" Sorey asked and the water seraph nodded as an answer.

"I shall become the Lord of the Land for the domain of Ladylake." Uno answered.

 _"Thank you, Lord Uno."_ Kurumi thanked him.

"The same goes to me." Sorey agreed with the wolf seraph as Alisha arrived.

"And you must be the Prime Lord?" Uno asked Lailah. "You've picked a fine Shepherd."

"I agreed." Lailah replied while nodding.

"Let's go. Father Breunor is waiting for us." Alisha said to the group. Velvet suddenly felt an odd presence a few meters and saw a man walking away, who didn't notice Velvet glaring at him.

 _"Milady, what's wrong?"_ Kurumi asked and the therion glanced at her.

"Yeah, I'm fine." Velvet answered before glaring back on the road. _'I don't like this feeling, that man is bound to come a hellion but why isn't he one yet? What is he planning to do by spying on us?'_ Velvet made a mental note to herself to be on guard.

The group then made their way back to the church with the Shepherd just happy to have the job done but Velvet couldn't let go the feeling that something is going to be wrong with all of this. She's been in these kind of situations before and is wasn't good to feel this way at all, especially when she has been traveling a long time to know that those of power would try anything to have her work for them as a weapon.

As they go to Ladylake, the group instantly walked over to the shrine to meet up with Father Breunor, who had already prepared for the ceremony over at the pedestal. Mikleo placed the ice in a basin on the pedestal and stayed away from it as Lailah used her flames to melt the ice into water.

"Ooh... Truly, this power is the stuff of miracles!" Breunor said and Uno crossed his arms.

"Hmm. Looks like he really can't sense us at all." Uno pointed out and Velvet just shook her head as this was amusing to her.

"I shall worship this sacred water with all my being!" Father Breunor said determined, turning to the opposite way from where Uno was standing which made Velvet and Kurumi silently giggle. "Oh venerable Uno, I am yet inexperienced, but would that I could serve thee for all eternity!" Uno snicker over the priest's act of trust.

"But he is earnest. I'll at least give him that." Uno pointed out, starting to like the priest before he made his vessel pact and goes into the basin. A wave of energy waved through everyone and Velvet sensed the domain quite easily even though this is the first time she's been there to see the Lord of the Land being created. Velvet saw that Alisha was probably the most affected as she's still the most inexperienced in the group.

"What was that?" Alisha asked, getting the females attention. "I feel like a sort of wind just blew right through me."

 _"That was a domain."_ Kurumi explained. _"We seraphim are able spread a domain to protect or give their blessing."_

"The blessing has returned to this town." Lailah said.

"Which means the malevolence will go down a bit." Velvet mumbled. Uno came out of his vessel.

"This town is now under my domain." Uno told the group. "But in order to maintain the blessing, I will need cooperation from the people."

"Indeed. There are all kinds of methods besides prayer that one can use to uphold the blessing." Lailah explained.

"Like offerings like food or items that you offer the Lord of the Land." Velvet explained, shocking Sorey, Mikleo and Lailah.

"I see, I'll be sure to give it a try!" Sorey said excited.

"This sure sounds like a pain to me." Mikleo pointed out.

"How do you know?" Lailah asked shocked.

"My husband used to do that to Maotelus back in the village we lived in, it was a long time ago before he died." Velvet explained smiling sadly at the memory.

"I'm sorry for asking that!" Lailah quickly apologized but the Nephilim shook her head.

"There's no need to apologize, I'm just glad to have memories of him left." Velvet explained, smiling happily at the memories. Uno suddenly felt something and looked up which caught everyone's attention.

"What's wrong?" Mikleo asked.

"I can still feel a powerful malevolence." Uno said worried and Velvet flinched a bit.

 _'Don't tell me he can sense my malevolence?!'_ Velvet exclaimed in my head. _'Thanks to Gramps, I know my hellion abilities are hard to sense but those with big domains can sense a small part of it easily.'_ Uno pointed forwards which made Velvet gasp in relief in her mind to know it wasn't her.

"And it's not far off. It's somewhere in town." Uno said which Alisha knew where that place was.

 _"You know where that is, Lady Alisha."_ Kurumi asked and the princess nodded.

"That's the royal palace." Alisha answered and the therion felt something in her domain once again, she became a little angry at the presence as the one spying on them.

"So this is a conversation with the seraphim? A bunch of lunatics talking to themselves out loud?" A male voice questioned as he was leaning against the doorway as the group turned to him.

"Says the one that was spying on us back at the bridge." Velvet pointed out and the man snickered at her.

"You knew that?" The man asked.

"I've developed many skills under my lifetimes, they become really useful for people like you." The Nephilim explained, not liking the situation at all. "What are you doing here, for starters?" The man walked over to Velvet and Sorey, giving them an envelope each.

"I am a messenger from Chancellor Bartlow of the Hyland government." The man introduced himself. "I have come to invite Velvet Crowe and Sorey to a private dinner conference, in light of their great suffering for the sake of Ladylake."

"You really did spy on us." The black haired woman concluded.

"Not at all, in fact, I was quite surprised." The man explained, not convincing Velvet. "That the Princess of Hyland, as hard as her claim to the throne may be, would have relations with the Shepherd that are so... intimate. I'm sure these news will please your beloved subjects to no end, Your Highness."

"If you are insinuating that--!" Alisha was cut off by Velvet holding up her hand as a sign to be quiet and calm down.

"Where to?" Sorey asked.

"Roundtable Palace." The messenger answered.

"Very well. Tell Bartlow we accept his proposal." Sorey replied, knowing that Velvet would follow him wherever he goes no matter what he would do and the look on her face meant that she was going to say the same thing. The man bowed as an answer before walking away.

"Please, you mustn't get involved with the Chancellors. I can feel it from them..." Alisha told them worried.

"Alisha. I'm doing this to try finding out what they are planning to do with us." Velvet explained. "But they are not the people spreading the malevolence even though they sound corrupted."

"The malevolence does seem to be coming from the palace." Sorey pointed out.

"I apologize for being so weak." Alisha apologized but Velvet placed a hand on her shoulder.

"Power and strength isn't what makes you strong, it's the emotions and goals we all bear that can make us strong or corrupt." Velvet told her. "We chose which way we want to go."

"It's true, and we really do want to see what's going on at the palace." Mikleo pointed out.

"Thank you, Velvet. Mikleo." Alisha thanked them, cheering up a little.

"It'll be our first time. You'll have to be our guide." Sorey said with a smile.

"Just as you have been to me." Alisha pointed out.

Alisha began to lead them through Ladylake forwards the palace, the princess was a little nervous but with the group and the words Velvet said to her made her feel like she can do this. The therion wasn't nervous rather angry and irritated, she wanted to know why the government was so interested in them all of a sudden when they thought she and Sorey were lunatics talking to themselves. That was why Velvet wanted to meet them to know why and the purpose of all this.

As they arrived the guards wouldn't let Alisha to pass through at first before they laughed at her. These guards were corrupted as well by the looks of it, one of the guards lead the group to a waiting room until it was time for the conference. Velvet was sitting on a couch to think through a plan in case something happens while Sorey, Lailah and Mikleo was reading a book from one of the shelves while Alisha was in deep thought. Kurumi walked over to her mistress worried over the black haired maiden's look on her face.

 _"What's wrong, milady?"_ Kurumi asked which caught Velvet's attention.

"I'm just thinking." Velvet answered. "These people are dangerous and I somehow know they want to try something on me and Sorey."

 _"You think they will turn into hellions?"_ Kurumi asked a little shocked. _"They do seem to almost hit their limit."_

"No, they are doing this on purpose and starting a war for no specific reason whatsoever." Velvet explained. "Malevolence can only come out when you're feeling despair, anger, hatred, sadness or guilt. When one of those emotions get to far, the malevolence comes out of control and you turn into a hellion that reflects the state of your heart."

 _"Of course, then the Chancellors doesn't show these feelings and aren't hellions."_ Kurumi agreed. _"You think the Scattered Bones would try anything?"_

"They were given false information from someone in the government." Velvet pointed out hushed for the people around them to not hear them. "If Bartlow is responsible, I can get that information and I've already sent a message to them just in case something were to happen. They still owe me for what happened."

 _"You've told me about that, such assassins would do such a thing but why keep you alive though?"_ Kurumi mumbled to herself, unconscious that Velvet heard that and she smirked as the therion knew the answer but don't want to tell.

The knight that called for Velvet and Sorey came to the door which meant it was time for the conference but Alisha was stopped once again and she was going to be given orders to go to a village called Marlind and forced to stay. The knight led mother and son together with Kurumi through the hallways forwards the Round Table Chamber which they both knew that they should be on guard inside the chamber. The knight waited outside as the three guests walked in to meet the four Chancellors at a big table with food in front of them and two empty chairs that were supposed to be for Velvet and Sorey.

"Sorry to have kept you waiting, gentle Shepherd and Miss Crowe." The man sitting on the other side said. "Please, take a seat." Lailah and Mikleo joined them and the water seraph was looking suspiciously at the food on the table.

"Poison pot pie." Mikleo pointed out and Kurumi sniffed in the air to confirm.

 _"Lord Mikleo is right, I smell poison mixed in the pot pie."_ The purple wolf concluded and Velvet narrowed her eyes at the old man.

"Don't worry, I promise you it's not poisoned." The man try to convince them. "We simply felt it would be best to be closer to you. Let me introduce you." They looked at each person introduced. "This is Military Chancellor, Mathia, leader of the Royal Army. This is Professor Simon," Velvet's eyes widen at the name, "administrator of the law in Hyland. And this is Archbishop Nathael, the highest ranking holy man in the kingdom."

 _'Not at all, Sorey is a holy man because he can see the seraphim.'_ Velvet said in her head as the man was really suspicious to her taste.

"And last, the man who manifests the will of the king himself," The bishop introduced the man.

"Bartlow." The man finished.

"I am Sorey. Thank you very much for your invitation." Sorey said polite.

"They already know who we are, Sorey." Velvet pointed out, getting into her old personality as the dangerous woman she was. "They have eyes and ears all over the kingdom." Sorey nodded before sitting down in his chair and began to take some food, the therion did the same but didn't take the food.

"Whoa, Sorey! I hope you don't trust them." Mikleo exclaimed serious.

 _'He's planning something, I just know it.'_ Velvet thought, not taking her eyes off Bartlow.

"You know of our special connections." Bartlow pointed out to the black haired woman. "Is your pet the cause of it?"

"Kurumi isn't a pet, she's my friend." Velvet replied sternly as Sorey tasted the food.

"It's quite delicious!" Sorey said smiling. "Though I would have liked to let Alisha taste it as well."

"What is your relation with Lady Alisha, if I may ask?" Bartlow asked the Shepherd.

"We're just friends." Sorey replied. "She invited me to come to the outside world with her."

"How about we drop this silly game and have you tell us the real story, hm?" Bartlow asked, not believing in Sorey's words.

"What Sorey was telling you is true." Velvet told him. "I've been with the two since the beginning, they aren't using each other for personal reasons. Unlike you, that is."

"I'm not using Alisha. The Shepherd does not do such things." Sorey defended himself. Velvet curled one of her hands into a fist as that weren't entirely true, Artorius did such things. If you don't believe her, look at her appearance. Velvet is forever a monster that can't age or die entirely.

"Oh, he doesn't? I couldn't say. I've never actually seen a Shepherd before." Bartlow said.

"So they doubt you, I figured as much." Mikleo pointed out.

 _"Not only that, they don't believe the legend or Sorey."_ Kurumi continued as she didn't like the atmosphere at all.

"Believe me or don't, I don't care." Sorey said which shocked Velvet a bit but it didn't show, he acted like herself just now.

"Well, we DO care." Bartlow told the two. "It would be quite the scandal if the royal family had produced a false Shepherd to curry favor with the populace." Velvet was getting really angry at the man and slammed her hand on the table, she quickly stood up and threw a glass past Bartlow's face which shocked everyone in the room.

"You ask for proof of Sorey's power? That he really is a Shepherd?" The Nephilim asked dangerous. "Don't make me laugh." Bartlow just snickered which made Velvet even more angry.

"Truth be told, it matters not whether you're real or just a boy in a silly outfit. Or that you're a beautiful woman that acts like a mad lunatic." Bartlow pointed out which made the therion growl. "The issue is that, regardless, the citizens are beginning to side with you."

"It's the nature of the people to yearn for some dramatic sort of salvation, and easy way to have their every desire fulfilled." The bishop said.

"Yes, that is true that many people expect many things of a Shepherd but putting far too much can make him to walk on the wrong path." Velvet tried to defend not only Sorey but herself as well.

"The common man is but a fool and a cur." The administrator said. "It's an unfortunate observation, but that is the reality of it."

"But, in fact, it is for that very reason that we need you." Bartlow finished.

"Us? Why us?" Sorey asked confused but Velvet knew what was coming.

"I will be perfectly frank with you. We are asking you to work under us... Shepherd Sorey and Miss Crowe." Bartlow explained. "As the Shepherd who would protect Hyland, we want you to reinvigorate the people. Boost their morale."

"The rampant disasters have rather dampened the people's spirits lately." The bishop said. "It's very unfortunate for the council."

"Those ignorant fools! Right when we're on the brink of war with Rolance!" The Military Chancellor exclaimed.

"We will reward you handsomely, of course." Bartlow continued, throwing a bag of money to their side of the table. "This is your advance. If you're really all the rumors say, I hear that you're quite interested in ancient ruins, yes?"

"Blackmail?" Velvet pointed out. "To use us for war? Sorey is still getting used to the world, bring him to war is going to tear him apart! He doesn't deserve to have blood on his hands just to get fortune so he can fulfill his dream!"

"Miss Crowe, you are really protective to him. You can join him and travel to the end of the world if you like." Bartlow tried to convince her but it only made it worse.

"This will only make matters worse!" Velvet exclaimed angry. "I know what it is like to kill people but using us will only make people fear us and bring chaos that everyone wants! WE aren't as greedy to just take that money just so we can travel, I've traveled around this world twice already without your help. We're not taking anyone's side, we walk our own path that we choses, not yours."

"There's no need to side with Princess Alisha, Miss Crowe." Bartlow told her. "The princess is to be transferred to the city of Marlind, where the epidemic yet thrives." Velvet's eyes widen in shock and tightened her fists.

"They're sending her to a plague town!" Mikleo exclaimed in realization.

"Surely even our spirited princess knight will learn her limits after toiling in such a star-crossed locale." Bartlow pointed out, grinning a bit. "Of course, if she herself were stricken with illness, I suppose she would have bigger things to worry about."

"She's so pure and innocent, she's trying her best to give hope to the country and you're just going to order her into get a sickness without a cure!" Velvet yelled really angry. "You're sacrificing innocent lives for what purpose? To gain full control over the populace."

"There's nothing to even think about, is there?" Bartlow asked, not caring about her words.

"Damn you!" The former Lord of Calamity growled wanting to devour him with her arm.

"I refuse." Sorey answered. Velvet turned to the Shepherd to see he was unfazed by Bartlow's threats by seeing his straight and serious face that she recognized as her own mixed with Simon's as the Shepherd stood up. "Darn. Guess they weren't the type you can sit down and talk with after all." Velvet got to his side together with Kurumi.

"Ain't that the truth." Velvet pointed out. "It's better this way than trying to get some sense into them."

"Proud words from a false Shepherd!" Bartlow exclaimed. "You two and Alisha will all learn the hard way what comes from crossing us!"

"Actually, it's the other way around." The therion said, glancing at the old man. "You don't know what lies inside someone's heart. Don't underestimate Sorey or me for that matter." Sorey gave Bartlow a grin as a sign of agreement as they were about to walk to the door.

"Wait!" Bartlow said as he was about to ring a small bell beside him when they heard an angry Alisha behind the door before she came into the room.

"Lord Bartlow, what is the meaning of this?" Alisha asked serious. "Stand down at once!"

"Nice castle, but we're done here." Sorey said determined. "Let's go, you guys." Sorey and Velvet was slowly walking forward the exit. "I can fulfill my dreams with Velvet's help, not your 'help'. And the same goes for Alisha."

"Indeed it does!" Alisha agreed.

"You've matured in these last few days but you still have a lot to learn." Velvet pointed out to the brown haired boy, who smiled at her.

"Death to the knave Shepherd who deceives the people!" One of the guards said and the three humans prepared themselves for a fight. Velvet immediately took out her therion arm out as more guards came into the room.

"Discord!" Velvet said her Break Soul arte which she did three heavy slashes with her claw up and down which knocked many guards down immediately.

Kurumi noticed how strong Sorey had become when he was fighting, it was almost like he was gaining even more power whenever he was fighting and using his artes. Kurumi was worried that he can't restrain his powers and he was in pair with Velvet as well which was really dangerous if they don't tell her soon. Even Mikleo and Lailah was worried over his sudden strength.

It took some time before the guards finally gave up and Chancellors was backing to the window in fear of the group's power and Alisha finally made her words heard. The nearby window was suddenly opened and the wind blew out all the candles that lit up the room, Velvet knew why. Assassins came in and placed daggers by each of the Chancellors' throats in front of the group.

"I'd be more worried about your own neck if I were you." A man's voice said behind the bishop.

"Who are you?!" Sorey exclaimed as he and Alisha got ready for an attack.

"The assassin guild, Scattered Bones." Velvet answered, shocking the two.

"Yes. That man approached us and tried to hire our guild to murder your princess here." The man replied, shocking Alisha more.

"Are you saying Lord Bartlow was plotting to kill Alisha?" Sorey asked while Velvet crossed her arms, knowing that part.

"D-Don't be ridiculous!" Bartlow tried to deny.

"He says we're liars. Should we kill him?" The man asked to the person holding Bartlow, possibly their leader and the person placed their dagger closer.

"Stop!" "Enough!" Sorey and Alisha exclaimed at the same time.

"I beg of you, please stop." Alisha begged. "The Kingdom of Hyland needs this man."

"You're all you're made out to be." The leader said amused, sounding like a female, before looking at Velvet.

"He isn't worth it. He's just a coward that thinks he's safe with a ton of guards and would pay anything to keep his place." Velvet told the leader her own opinion. "It's your call if you wanna do it."

"Listen and listen well, Bartlow. We do not kill against our own honor." The leader told him. "Understood?" Bartlow fell to the ground right after the leader took away her knife.

"Why?!" Alisha exclaimed and Velvet stopped her from walking forward them.

"Don't worry, they didn't kill him." The black haired woman assured her and the leader kicked Bartlow so they could hear him cough for breath. Velvet saw the leader nodded to her which meant that it was soon time to leave and she nodded as well, getting the message.

"Not your usual assassins, are you." Sorey pointed out as Bartlow stands up close to the table.

"I'm impressed they snuck into the palace." Mikleo said fascinated.

"A-Apprehend them!" Bartlow shouted while ringing his bell. "They're the conspirators!"

"We have to leave. Now!" Velvet told the group. "Before the guards catch us."

"Thanks to you, our work was quick and painless." The man told the group, looking at Velvet mostly for the information.

"Here's your reward. Follow us." The leader said before they ran away.

The group ran after them but there was obstacles, guards had closed off every way out and some of them was running after them. Sorey was wondering if they'll get out of this situation as guards came in front of them but Velvet did something interesting. She took out paper from her pocket that Lailah usually use when she was fighting and Velvet used different seraphic artes on the guards that knocked them out, you could tell how skilled she was when fighting. The assassins led the group to the kitchen, where a hidden passage had been opened in the corner but closed when the last assassins went through.

"Find the switch! I'll hold them off!" Velvet said as her friends try finding the switch for the door, Velvet waved her hand with two fingers out.

The only door closed shut with a barrier on it while an orb was in front of Velvet's hand as she tried to hold it up as the guards tried bash open the door with brute force. Sorey, Alisha and Kurumi was trying their best to find the switch in the kitchen but time was running out.

"Where is it?!" Alisha exclaimed really worried.

"Kurumi, can you pick up their scent here?" Sorey asked the wolf.

 _"I'll try my best!"_ Kurumi said as she sniffed the floor finding a trail which led to one of the fountains that was broken. Sorey immediately came over to check it out.

"Hurry!" Velvet yelled as it was getting harder to keep it closed. Sorey then found the switch and the wall opened to reveal the hidden passage.

"Velvet, come on!" Alisha yelled as she ran in with Sorey and Kurumi.

Velvet dashed forward the closing door and hurried the trio as fast as she could as the hidden door closed on its own. The therion was panting as she looked behind her in case if someone managed to follow her but it didn't and she gasped in relief. The passage somehow led to an underground ruin beneath the castle.

"Are you okay?" Mikleo asked as he and Lailah came out to talk with the two.

"Yeah, I haven't used my seraphic abilities for some time." Velvet explained turning to them.

"I'm just glad we managed to get out of there." Lailah said in relief.

 _"Looks like it will get hectic for some time now, we should lay low for some time until this calms down."_ Kurumi suggested.

"I agree. The guards will look all over for me." Alisha pointed out unsure. "They might look after you and Velvet as well."

"Yeah, thanks for having my back there." Sorey thanked Velvet, who smiled.

"Let's take that conversation when we get back to the inn." Velvet suggested as they led them through the ruins.

The therion was already being reminded of the prison cells in Titania as there was a few big ones that was around the ruins, this worried Alisha even more but Sorey was excited that managed to cheer her up. The group knew that the source of malevolence was there and they found it, an Egidona. Velvet fought it as a Code Red daemon before so there wouldn't be a problem.

Under the fight, Sorey managed to use a seraphic arte on the Egidona when Velvet was about to get hit as the others thought it was Velvet but after the fight Sorey looked at his hand in shock while the black haired woman looked at him worried that his powers that he was born with are awakening inside him now that his Shepherd powers are growing. Hopefully the two would get the chance to have a conversation about this once they get to the inn, talking alone.


	13. Onward to Rayfalke Spiritcrest

When they arrived at the inn, Velvet immediately crashed her back on the bed after taking off her clothes except the dress and glove as the sleeves and coat were sown together in the black belt around her shoulders. The therion had decided to let her hair loose for a bit before fixing it but her mind was on something else as she stared at the ceiling. Kurumi had joined Mikleo and Lailah in Sorey's room to calm Alisha down a bit.

Velvet looked sadly at the ceiling as she thought about her ruthless attacks against the palace guards under their escape.

"I did it again but I had to, Simon." Velvet thought out loud in hope that her love could hear her. "In order to protect them." She held up her hand to look at it in determination. "I will use this power to protect them and set things right, to hold my promise to you as the Lord of Calamity that I still am."

A knock on the door snapped Velvet back in reality after the long time of peace and quiet from what happened a few hours ago, she didn't expect someone to go and knock on her room.

"Who is it?" Velvet asked as she sat up on the bed.

"It's me, Sorey. I really need to talk to you." Sorey said on the other side.

"You can come inside. I have nothing to hide." Velvet told him. _'Except your origin.'_ Sorey walked in with a troubled expression on his face which worried the therion. "What's wrong, Sorey?"

"I've been thinking about what happened in the aqueduct, I shouldn't be able to use seraphic Artes outside the armatus, I'm a human." The Shepherd explained as he sat down beside her. "How did you react when you first obtained your powers?"

"My therion powers came in my head on instinct and I just used it without paying attention." Velvet explained as much as she could to not mention her past. "While my seraphic abilities activated when I was thinking about my husband saving my life, healing an old wound that wouldn't heal. I was trained to use my abilities by an old seraph later on."

"Then I guess I'm the only one in this situation." Sorey pointed out before sighing. Velvet placed a hand on his shoulder.

"I know you're scared of hurting people with your new power. I can show you how I managed to control my powers." Velvet held out her hand and summoned a flame in her palm. "Try finding your inner flame. These flames can't be extinguished no matter how much you try." Sorey closed his eyes and the Nephilim had her hands close to his hand after dismissing her flame in the process. "Now, try making a similar flame in your hand without getting it out of control."

Sorey concentrated as much as possible and after a few minutes, a blue flame appeared in his palm and opened his eyes to see the flame burning in his hand. Velvet was smiling proud over that her son learned it so quickly, the mother usually summoned that flame as a reminder and sign of hope for her to keep moving forward.

"This is amazing." Sorey said in happiness.

"The flames that resembles you are the flames of purification." Velvet told him. "A sign of purity and the Shepherd. The blue color is symbolizing the sky and sea, meaning wisdom, confidence, intelligence, faith, truth and heaven."

"You know a lot about that." Sorey commented as Velvet stood up to walk to the fireplace in the room. "Who taught you?"

"My husband." The black haired woman replied as she stared at the flames. Sorey unconsciously dismissed the flame in his hand when he saw the sad look in Velvet's eyes. "He would always talk about the discoveries he had made and I usually don't take any interest in what people told me when it came to that stuff but something was different when he was the one that explained it. I would listen for hours and hours without complaining, founding it interesting." Velvet chuckled quietly at the memory. "It's quite funny really, consider I'm not actually the type that goes looking for information about culture, history, items. You name it. Guess that's how it is when you love someone that much."

"He was an adventurer!" Sorey replied excited and the black haired woman giggled.

"You could say that but after meeting me, he took his adventuring to a stop to take care of me and our baby as well getting on with his research."

"You had a baby?" Velvet realized she told him that by accident as those were important memories to her.

"Yeah, I had one but he died by the time my husband died. Please, don't ask about my son. It brings back bad memories." Velvet knew that didn't happen but how else could she avoid questions like that when she knows the truth. "It's something I don't like to discuss."

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to make you sad like that but you seemed so happy when you talked about your husband." The Nephilim turned to look at Sorey surprised as those words reminded her of something Laphicet would have said.

"Don't worry about it, I'm just glad to have these memories of him. Every time I go to check on him under his research, he would jump out of his chair when he notice me there. He would always ask if I'm okay when I act different than I usually do. He could be silly at times but he was gentle and kind to everyone. He saw me as myself from the time he found me out in the forest, not as a monster nor sacred being. Just the person under that I have hidden from so many people." Velvet crossed her arms as she kept herself from crying. "I miss him a lot, he was different from normal humans."

"Is it okay if I ask you his name?" Sorey was now standing up and placed a hand on her shoulder in comfort, Velvet smiled as she let a tear run down her face.

"His name was Simon. The most wise and kindest person you could ever meet." Velvet wiped away the tear to not start crying. "You remind me of him a lot."

"I'm just trying to help you overcome that sad look of yours, it didn't fit your image. You're pretty with that smile of yours."

"Thank you, Sorey. You're one of the only two that make me comfortable to talk about these kind of things."

After a long conversation between the two, Sorey decided to go back to his room to sleep off the stress from earlier. After saying good night, Sorey left Velvet alone in the room again. The therion was happy to get to know her son after 17 years away from him, knowing that Zenrus raised him well to be a kindhearted person just like his father. She walked to her bed to look under it to get out her bag, taking out the book of her past and the truth of the history of the world. Velvet took a deep breath as she also took out Simon's letter to her which had started to get old with time, she had kept it with her as a reminder. Velvet stared at it happy before deciding to get some rest, hiding the book and letter back into her bag.

* * *

The next morning, everyone was gathered in Sorey's room to talk about their next move to get blessing to the world and find the Lord of Calamity. Velvet's mind was on her past once again, trying to finding clues from her adventure and her life with Simon about the Shepherd while the young people in front of her was talking to each other after what had happened the night before. Sorey was glancing at the black haired woman a few times and thought about their conversation the other night.

 _'How do she live with all that sadness?'_ Sorey thought sadly. _'I'll have to talk to her later on about it.'_

"I've decided I'm going to Marlind." Alisha suddenly said which brought everyone's attention.

"That's a plague town!" Mikleo pointed out. "You can't really mean to obey them?!"

"Whatever twisted motives the chancellor may carry, the order is official." Alisha clarified to the group. "And besides... it doesn't change the fact that Marlind is suffering."

"I see, that's the only reason you're going through this." Velvet said, knowing what the princess was thinking.

"Yes, I want to do everything I can for the people of Hyland." Alisha finished and Velvet nodded.

"Alisha..." Sorey said, snapping out of his thinking.

"If you found yourself in that situation again, you're on your own." Velvet pointed out. "You have to follow your own path, alright?"

"Of course, Velvet." Alisha agreed. "May the council and people laugh, so be it. I want to do my best to help everyone I can and redeem the council's action."

 _'She acts like Eleanor, even before she knew of me being a daemon back in Hellawes.'_ Velvet thought in amusement.

"Alright, I'm coming with you." Sorey said and Kurumi sighed in annoyance.

 _"Sorey, this is Alisha's problems. We shouldn't be involved in these situations to be fair."_ Kurumi said serious and worried.

"But how do you plan on getting to Marlind? The bridge has washed away." Sorey pointed out while standing up. "If Velvet haven't gotten a better idea?"

"The only way to get to Ladylake was through Marlind and over the bridge." Velvet explained. "There is another way there but it'll take longer time to get there as well. You won't be saving a lot of lives by taking that route."

"So we have to wait until the bridge is fixed in order to get to the other side." Lailah guessed and the Nephilim nodded.

"It's only been a day since we helped Uno at the bridge so they should've started with the foundation of it at least." Velvet told them before she frowned. "We'll need that bridge if we're going to continue with finding the Lord of Calamity to set a stop to this."

"There's something I need to ask you." Mikleo said, which made Velvet look at him. "Why do you want to stop the Lord of Calamity so badly?" The room was quiet except the crackles of the flames in the fireplace as the black haired woman curled her fists.

"Because he killed people dear to me before he became a Lord of Calamity." Velvet replied angry, shocking and terrifying everyone in the room. "I know his identity and everything, but I want him to feel the suffering that he made the people in my village have. I might be the only survivor from that time."

"You're doing this for revenge?!" Mikleo exclaimed while standing up.

"I've already done that once to someone I used to consider my family." Velvet pointed out, glaring at the water seraph. "But I'm not doing this for just revenge, there's another reason why I want him dead. A more personal thing that I can't tell that easily. It isn't easy to purify a being with that amount of malevolence."

"Mikleo, what Velvet is telling us is that she has a personal goal of her own under this journey." Lailah told the beginners of the group. "She might be the only one we know that can't be affected by malevolence. I know you three are tired from last night but arguing about someone's personal goal isn't the answer."

 _"I have to agree. Lady Velvet is fighting with her will to stop this while the Shepherd fight because he have to."_ Kurumi agreed and Velvet was starting to feel her anger about Artorius again when hearing those words but then saw that the malevolence coming out of her hands as it slowly goes up her body.

 _'Oh no! I'm starting to lose control of my malevolence. I need to get out of here.'_ Velvet thought in panic and ran out of the room to not reveal her secret which shocked the group.

"Velvet!" Alisha called out worried as she stood up from her sitting position on the bed.

"Kurumi, what's wrong with Velvet?" Sorey asked the wolf. "Did we say something wrong or something?" Kurumi shaked her head as an answer.

 _"I'll go check on her, I think I know what happened. We'll meet you at the bridge."_ She said before going after the Nephilim.

Kurumi checked their room but Velvet wasn't there, so the wolf had to search for her sent and followed it through the town. After a little while, Kurumi found Velvet at the spot where they were without the wolf, standing by the edge while looking out at the ocean but the aura of malevolence was coming out of her body.

 _"I see, that's the reason."_ Kurumi said as she arrived, revealing to Velvet about her presence.

"Yeah, I was starting to panic a bit. I just wanted to get away from them to calm down." Velvet explained guilty. "I knew this would happen sooner or later." Velvet turned around to face her friend. "You can come here, my malevolence doesn't spread like it normally do."

 _"Apologizes, an old habit."_ Kurumi said as she and the therion sat down by the edge. _"Is the malevolence coming out because of you were with your son?"_

"No, the only way for this to appear is when I'm feeling hatred or despair without control. I didn't tell you because you would misunderstand the situation of my malevolence."

 _"How long has this been going on exactly? Ever since you saved my life from those hunters, I never sensed malevolence nearby."_ Velvet narrowed her eyes at the memory of her awakening as a therion, knowing exactly how it appeared and the moments she's discovered about it.

"Ever since I was turned into a therion. You know that I was forced into a hellion with a special case? There's two different types of malevolence inside me. One of hatred and the other despair, the reason I can't tell because I made a promise to myself and a friend."

 _"I see. When they mentioned words that have connections to your past and you told them a bit of your goal which made you lose control of your mental wall. I can see why you would want to keep it a secret, especially when you are immune to the flames of purification's power as you have your own."_ Velvet put on a small smile as the aura slowly disappeared.

"That's true, besides I've been like this for so long now that there's no turning back to being human again." Kurumi chuckled at the comment. "Sorey is going for a real surprise when finds out how old I really am."

_"You seem to be in a better mood about Lord Sorey now, something happened last night?"_

"We just had a little conversation and me promising to teach him how to use seraphic abilities. He still have a lot to learn about himself, his powers and his role. This world isn't what it is said to be if you don't look closely."

_"Then should we go and check on what our comrades are doing, otherwise they will get into trouble."_

"True. If he's like Simon, trouble would get to him instead."

 _"You seem more happy than usual, did something interesting happen last night?"_ Velvet stood up as she stared at the ocean.

"Who knows? I've been feeling a lot better since we got here."

Kurumi silently giggled as she knew what Velvet had meant. The black haired woman had gotten more happy since they've met the young Sorey and the seraphim accompanying him, it made the wolf happy to see the woman with more energy than normal which was an improvement you could say.

The two begun to walk to the bridge but something felt off and Velvet asked Kurumi to ask Alisha, who was at the bridge with a few guards. Velvet had a pretty good chance that the stream was too powerful for them to work on it in a matter of a day despite they fixed the problem but Sorey wasn't in sight. Kurumi came back in a hurry as if something had happened. The duo haven't been that far behind from Sorey and the others and still the females haven't seen the Shepherd and his seraphim companions since their arrival.

"What's wrong, Kurumi?" Velvet asked the wolf. "What did Alisha say?"

 _"Lord Sorey has gone to Rayfalke Spiritcrest to find an earth seraph for help!"_ Kurumi replied.

"Those idiots!" Velvet exclaimed a little angry as she ran forwards another path nearby forwards a big mountain rage. "A full fledge dragon is rumored to live on the Spiritcrest. He's as reckless as his father!"

_"They left a while ago, with Lailah's informations of things are under the rock."_

_'Sorey is still not used to his powers yet, he'll get himself killed if he continue like this.'_ Velvet thought worried. _'I want to help Eizen but I can't risk my only child's life to do it.'_

Velvet and Kurumi hurried as fast as they could up the mountain as they heard some type of sound that Velvet had heard somewhere before as well people talking. When they arrived, they saw Sorey, Mikleo and Lailah face to face with a very familiar seraph that sended a pendulum on Sorey, how dodged it all, as they prepared to fight that made Velvet sigh in disbelief before using her flames to teleport, surprising Kurumi a bit as she got to the group slowly.

"Do you really think I'd be willing to just drop the Shepherd and his toadies into the dragon's lap, so he can gobble them right up?" Zavied said to Sorey as they were to start the fight until they saw flames appearing in front of them.

Velvet came out of the flames and kicked Zavied before taking out her therion claw, slamming it at Zavied, who rolled around a bit away from the group. Sorey was a bit surprised at the sudden appearance as Kurumi came to the group before shaking her head in disappointment.

"Who are you to just appear out of nowhere and barge into our fight?" Zavied asked a bit irritated as he slowly stood up.

"I should be asking you that question myself ever since we first met." Velvet growled a bit as the wind seraph looked up only to be shocked of Velvet's presence.

"Velvet?" Zavied asked in disbelief.

"The one and only." Velvet replied as she transformed her arm back. "It's been a long time, Zavied. What happened to your old creed of not killing anyone?"

"Heh, a lot has changed since you disappeared all those years ago." Zavied answered as Velvet walked close and takes out her gauntlet blade which made the wind seraph flinch. "Okay, okay! Don't need to take out everything deadly!"

"Kurumi, do you know why Velvet knows Zavied?" Mikleo asked utterly confused why Zavied was a little afraid of the Nephilim.

 _"I'm afraid I don't. We might have been travel partners for years but most of Lady Velvet's past is still untold to me."_ Kurumi replied.

"Well, we can count on their relationship wasn't that great." Sorey pointed out.

"So why is someone like you hanging around a Shepherd of all people?" Zavied asked as Velvet stopped, glancing back to see that they were quite far away from the group so they couldn't hear their conversation.

"I have my reasons." The therion explained. "I've lived here for the last twenty years, Zavied. I've changed too under the years and I know that the Shepherd isn't entirely human persay which is the reason why I'm with him."

"I see, you know the truth but keep it a secret, huh?" Zavied concluded. "Sounds like the old Velvet to me."

"I know how it is that way, I just don't want to talk about it when he's present." Velvet continued guilty. "All I can say is I'm involved in everything." Zavied just laughed at the sentence which irritated the woman as she crossed her arms.

"Then let me tell you why I'm here and then I'll leave you to your business." The wind seraph said before looking at the mountain. "I'm keeping a promise to Eizen. I'm going to use Siegfried to kill him, he has completely lost his sense of self now. It's the least I could do for him."

"It isn't too late to help Eizen." Velvet pointed out which made Zavied to look at her with an raised eyebrow. "I can devour the malevolence enough for the flames of purification to take effect, just give me some time and we'll bring him back in one piece."

"Using the Shepherd I suppose?" Zavied asked and Velvet looked away in shame.

"I'm not using him. I'm helping Sorey realize that it takes time to save the world." The former Lord of Calamity explained. "I've gotten stronger and Sorey need guidance or else he'll be like his predecessors."

"Alright, alright." Zavied said with a smile. "You have good entation to this. Invite me to the fun next time, your little adventure sounds exciting!"

"If you do this sort of thing again, I won't play nice." Velvet told the seraph before he started to walk away.

"Be careful about that dragon now! It isn't as strong as Silva but he packs a punch." Zavied warned them as he walked down the mountain as Velvet got back to the group.

"What is that guy's problem?" Mikleo asked irritated, definitely not liking Zavied.

"His power... It doesn't feel like purification at all." Sorey said a bit confused. "Almost more like it feeds on malevolence."

"No, that's not the case." Velvet replied. "It's the weapon he's carrying that have that sort of effect. It amplifies the power of those he hits which can be the result of what happened to that man." The whole group looked at the unmoving man on the ground with sadness, Sorey being the most affected over Zavied's action.

"Can we at least give him a proper burial?" Sorey asked the females of the group. Velvet crossed her arms as they looked at Lailah.

 _"What do you think, Lady Lailah?"_ Kurumi asked the fire seraph.

"Let him do it, it would affect him in a lot of ways." Lailah replied and Velvet nodded in agreement.

The group quickly buried the man and Sorey was looking at the little grave sadly over the man's fate. If he had known what Zavied would have done a few moments ago then he would have saved the man from death. The young Shepherd was so deep in thought that he didn't notice that Velvet walked in front of him and hit him on the forehead with a snap, Sorey exclaimed in pain and the seraphim laughed at the boy's reaction.

"Why did you do that?!" Sorey asked while rubbing the sore spot on his forehead.

"I didn't hit you that hard." Velvet pointed out before sighing. "Don't get this depressed when people die, Sorey. Sometimes when malevolence can get too tough to purify, death is the only option."

"But your therion arm? Doesn't it devour malevolence?" Sorey asked, getting Mikleo's attention too and Lailah looked down, somehow knowing the answer.

"In order to devour malevolence completely, I have to sever the source." Velvet explained as she shadowed her eyes with her bangs. "That means I have to kill my victims to gain their malevolence and abilities." She then looked up again. "Sorry, Sorey. That's the only way for those that can't control their malevolence to be purified. In the old times, the flames of purification didn't exist."

"What Velvet said is entirely true." Lailah pointed out a bit guilty.

"You don't have to say more, Lailah." Mikleo said with a smile. "We know you can't tell us because of your oath. We'll find out soon enough about all of this."

"Yeah, that's true." Sorey agreed with a smile of his own. "Now, let's find an earth seraph and fix the bridge so we can get to Marlind."

Velvet and Kurumi nodded in agreement as they continued up the Spiritcrest, however the Nephilim had sensed that there's really strong malevolence somewhere but it felt similar in a way. Something was on its way to them and it wouldn't be pleasant.


	14. Side Chapter 1: Discovery

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is a little treat for you guys. This is a side story about Velvet's pregnancy and how it went under her journey but these will only be uploaded when we head forward a certain point in the story for me to reveal it.
> 
> Enjoy!

  
It was just another day in Camlann. Velvet was fixing breakfast and was about done when she suddenly felt sick and held a hand over her mouth and stomach just as Simon got down the stairs, seeing his wife's expression and instantly got worried.

"Are you alright?" Simon asked worried as he came into the kitchen.

"I'm okay, Simon." Velvet answered while turning to face him. "I just felt a little nauseas."

"Maybe you should stay home and rest." Simon told her.

"No, I'll do that after helping the others with the farming for Rolance." The former Lord of Calamity replied. "I promised to help and can't take it back now."

"Ok, I'll have a normin watch over you so nothing happens." Simon said with a small smile as he kissed her on the forehead.

"I'll be fine, Simon." Velvet assured him. "It'll go over in a while, don't worry about it."

After they ate, Velvet left the house and Simon was looking at her worried as she had said herself that she doesn't get sick at all as she's both a therion and a seraph in one body. That's why her expression worried him, Simon knew something was wrong if she had started getting sick all of a sudden as it had been years since the wound on her arm was healed.

An hour later, Velvet was done with taking out the herbs for medicine from the other plants in the big garden. They were going to Rolance so that the village could raise money to buy much more things to seed and use. The Nephilim wiped away the sweat on her forehead with the back of her hand in relief before taking the basket of herbs as she stood up, glancing at the children playing nearby before walking to the cart to place it with the other things going to Rolance.

"I see you working hard." An old woman said nearby as Velvet placed the basket in the cart.

"I just want something to do which means I want to help as much as possible." Selene explained with a smile as she turned to face the woman. "Thank you for the compliment, Setsuna!"

"Don't overwork yourself now, you're still young." The old woman, Setsuna, pointed out gently. Velvet suddenly felt the sick feeling again but stronger now and had to lean against the cart, holding her stomach again and took a deep breath to calm her body down. "Are you feeling alright, Selene?"

"Yeah, it's nothing." Velvet answered. "I'll be home if there's anything I can help with."

Meanwhile, Simon was walking out with Muse out of Michael's house to check on him. The retired Shepherd had fallen asleep on his desk again to finish his book in time to publish it, causing him to work even at night. The two childhood friends were having a small conversation until Simon saw Selene and called her over. Velvet smiled before walking over to her husband and friend but her vision was getting blurred and her legs started to give up as she prepared herself to hit the ground. Muse gasped and Simon screamed her fake name before everything went black.

"Selene, can you hear me?!" Simon called out to his unconscious wife as he took her in his arms. "Muse, get the doctor."

"Of course, I'll bring her to your house as fast as possible." Muse said before running off in another direction.

* * *

After what seemed like an hour, Velvet opened her eyes to meet the sight of the roof of the front door porch. Glancing slightly to the side, she saw Simon looking at her with a gentle smile before Velvet realized where she was. The ex-Lord of Calamity was lying on the bench swing on the porch as it slowly rocked back and forth while having her head on Simon's lap.

"You fainted." The alchemist said simply, knowing her all too well.

"I... fainted?" Velvet asked slowly before sitting up, grabbing her head as the Nephilim got a terrible headache. "How long was I out?"

"Just for an hour. Selene, you've been acting strange all day." Simon pointed out worried to his wife. "I know that look you had on your face this morning, you felt really sick and now you fainted. How long has this been going?"

"A few days maybe, I don't know exactly and I've been feeling so tired recently." Velvet groaned her answer and surprised her husband.

"Then those symptoms are all too familiar to me." A woman said and the couple looked up to see Muse together with another woman, who's probably the doctor of the village. "In fact, Muse is showing the same symptoms as well that have started today."

"You aren't joking now, are you?" Velvet asked her friend, who just smiled.

"No, we aren't." Muse replied. "All I can say is congratulations!" Velvet raised an eyebrow at the word.

"Muse isn't that far off. Those symptoms are really common in the state you are in now, you are pregnant, Selene." The doctor told the couple, shocking Velvet before she ran inside.

Simon soon followed after her up to their bedroom, meeting the sight of Velvet having her head in her hands while sitting on the bed with her hair down. Simon slowly walked over and sat down beside her.

"I shouldn't-! I can't-!" The therion said, not bringing herself to believe in the news.

"Selene, breathe." Simon said and Selene took in a few deep breaths to calm down.

"This shouldn't be possible, I have no right to become a parent to a child of my own." Velvet confessed. "I'm not even truly human!"

"You are human!" Simon exclaimed serious.

"Shut up! Shut up! Shut up!" Velvet exclaimed as she stood up angry. "I'm a monster, Simon! And I will always be one!" The black haired woman started tear up. "You don't understand how many bad things I did in the past, I don't deserve this sort of happiness or my dream of making a family come true." The alchemist got up and hugged Velvet in a really comforting way, noticing she was tired both mentally and physically.

"I married you because I love you, not because of other reasons. Listen, there's no such thing as a painless lesson, they just don't exist. Sacrifices are necessary, you can't gain anything without losing something first. Although, you can endure that pain and walk away from it, you'll find you have a heart strong enough to overcome any obstacle. It's okay if you cry, it proves you're really strong."

Velvet started sniffing before she sobbed and eventually, she finally broke down. Unable to control her feelings anymore, she just cried her heart out. She accepted his embrace and buried her head on his chest. Simon just kept on hugging her while caressing her long black hair. He loved when she cried out the pain she kept inside, to have her in his arms and the mood swings Velvet was having can be because of her being tired.

"You should get some rest, we'll wait and see if you're actually pregnant." Simon pointed out as they broke away with Velvet smiling tired.

"You're probably right." Velvet agreed.

The therion then got in bed to rest as Simon left to leave her at peace.

* * *

The next couple of days, Velvet was feeling better and she continued to do her chores but in a more easy way just in case. However after two months, Velvet started to feel sick again and stayed at home for most of the time. Now, she was lying on the couch in the living room, failing to notice the small bump on her stomach as a blue normin was keeping her company while Simon was doing an errand somewhere else in the village.

"Is this how Celica felt like?" Velvet moaned to herself.

"Velvet, are you feeling okay?" The normin asked as she was sitting on the table and looked at the woman a bit worried, who took a deep breath.

"No, I can't even sit up without feeling like I'm going to throw up." Velvet groaned before looking at the normin. "Thank you for convincing Simon. I'm glad that the normin still remember me and the others."

"No problem, even the Lord of Calamity have to see people that know her." The normin pointed out as she stood up. "I have another normin getting some medicine for you that might help."

"Thanks." Velvet thanked the little seraph with a smile. "Any word of Eizen and Zavied?"

"Well, Zavied is off traveling while taking care a few strong hellions with that artifact of his. Eizen is still a dragon but isn't rampaging." The normin told her. "Edna, however, hasn't been seen since a hundred years ago when he turned into a dragon." Velvet glanced at the ceiling.

"I think it's because of Eizen becoming a dragon. I know that Edna is Eizen's sister and was probably devastated because of that, I can't blame her. I know exactly how it felt to lose someone that is so close to themselves."

Velvet smiled at the memories of the old days and her friends before she started to sing a song, "In my eye and in my way. In the sky so far away. Are you hiding in the grey. I am on my way to find you. In the shadows where you lay. In darkness I will be praying. One by one in a lonely lullaby. Dancing like a lonely feather in the windy weather. Looking for a beacon and some clarity. Long to fly again together and I wonder whether if we will ever find our melody. Over mountain and below the stars. Light my way so I know where you are. And find me, anywhere and anytime I sing my song for you. My tomorrow and my today. It is time for you to find your way."

"That's a beautiful song, Selene." The voice of Simon suddenly and Velvet blushed before sitting up to the sight of Simon standing in the kitchen. "Where did you learn that?"

"S-Simon!" Selene exclaimed embarrassed. "How much did you hear?!"

"Just you singing all of a sudden." Simon replied and Velvet blushed more red as she laid back down.

"It just came to my mind." Velvet explained as Simon came over to her. "I was just thinking about a person who knew an old companion of mine, she's been alone for some time now to protect her brother."

"I would love to meet this person." The alchemist pointed out before noticing the bump on his wife's stomach and placed a hand on it.

"What are you doing?" Simon just looked up smiling at her. "It can't be-!"

"That would explain why you suddenly got ill again. Looks like it was true, that means that you'll have a hard time these next few months."

"Tell me about it. If this is the start then I don't want to know what happen next." Simon stood up and let out a sigh in relief.

"Thankfully, I brought home pregnancy clothes for you while I was out." The husband walked to the kitchen and came back with a bundle of light blue clothes.

"Then I should put them on now to feel more comfortable." Velvet sat back up slowly.

"Promise me you don't overwork yourself now." Selene just grinned.

"I won't make any promises."

The two laughed before giving each other a kiss. They were happy of the small miracle inside Velvet, something that would complete their little family. Simon snuck out later that night, having looked at Velvet sleeping peacefully before quietly going outside. The alchemist have managed to keep the truth about him knowing his wife's true identity for so long now but he wanted Velvet to tell him herself. Simon walked to the top of the stone stairs to the Empyrean's throne and saw Maotelus there, looking at the sky before noticing Simon arriving.

 _"Simon! You usually isn't awake at this hour of the night."_ Maotelus said a bit surprised as the alchemist sat down on the last step.

"Yeah, there's a reason why I came here tonight." Simon explained. "Remember that Velvet fainted a while back? Well, she hasn't gotten sick by a virus. Velvet is pregnant with a child."

 _"I can't believe it! Velvet is really going to become a mom!"_ Maotelus said excited and Simon chuckled. _"Congratulations, Simon!"_

"Thanks, Maotelus." The alchemist thanked the Empyrean with a smile as he thought about his wife sleeping. "To think that I met her three years ago and proposed to her. It seemed like it was just yesterday. And you said she was scary the first time you met."

_"She was but Velvet has become much more alive and human now. I can't believe it's the same Velvet."_

"True enough. You can't see that she had a terrible past like that, she only show that when she is with either you or me since being the only people she trusts. Actions have always consequences to them, that's why I want to continue my research to transfer someone's soul and heart to a different person without interfering with that person's personality and soul. That way, I can protect my family beyond the grave." Simon stood up as a wind came by and blew through his hair as he looked at the moon in the sky.


	15. Night of Reveals

The way up the mountain of Rayfalke Spiritcrest was really dangerous as there were many hellions walking around which could be the explanation to why people never returned when going up the mountain. The dragon was a big problem too. Velvet knew she could handle a few ones but the more powerful ones are really tough and over half the group were used to combat stronger opponents. It had taken some time but they managed to reach the top and a pulse of dark energy went through the three present.

"What... is this?" Sorey asked cautious.

"Is this the domain?" Lailah pointed out nervous. "It can't be!"

"Are you saying malevolence could corrupt a domain this far?!" Sorey exclaimed in shock.

"No, this is different." Velvet pointed out unfaced by the domain as there was something familiar in it. "This malevolence has grown over time. It's here."

"We should escape, now!" Lailah suggested scared. "The stronger the entity, the more powerful domain. It doesn't mean any malevolence or power it has."

"It's just like with Gramps and the other powerful seraphim, they detect our intrusion." Velvet explained. "However, dragons are almost as powerful as the Lord of Calamity itself."

The group then heard the heavy flaps of wings coming their way and there it was, a giant dragon. But for Velvet something was off with the dragon in front of them, it had the same feeling to a certain person she knew. This dragon was Eizen.

"The legendary harbinger of destruction, a dragon." Sorey said as the dragon flew over them. "Heh... Well, this is bad."

"Running won't do us any good." Mikleo pointed out as the dragon flew over them once again.

"This is all my fault." Lailah said guilty over the wind. "I was going off my own memories and just assumed that any talk of dragons was baseless." The dragon finally landed a part way from them and roared in anger.

"So you mean this dragon is a new addition to the mountain?" Sorey asked before he noticed the look on Velvet, she seemed so unfaced by everything and instead looking determined at the dragon.

"No, it can't be! Are you Edna?!" Lailah exclaimed really worried and Velvet instantly recognized the name.

"Edna?" Velvet repeated before looking at the dragon again. "Then you really are..."

"Oh, Edna... I can't believe it! You, a dragon..." Lailah said in despair.

"Nope. Guess again." A girl's voice said and a rock wall came in front of the dragon. A familiar girl walking to them with an umbrella. Velvet thought back to when they were in Lothringen and remembered the illusion of Eizen's sister, so this is the real Edna.

"Huh? There are two Ednas?" The fire seraph asked confused over the situation.

"Your conclusion is peculiar." Edna said before she turned to the dragon, glancing a bit at Velvet before that. "Brother. You must stop."

"Brother?" Sorey asked confused.

 _'Eizen...'_ Velvet called out in her head.

"So even my voice no longer reaches you..." Edna said solem over the condition as Eizen breaks the stone wall keeping them from each other and roared. "He's coming! Run like the wind!"

"Is she the seraph we were looking for, Lailah?" Mikleo asked as Edna walked by them and the fire seraph nodded.

"She is!" Lailah answered.

"Does this look like the time to chat?" Edna asked. "Move!" Eizen dashed forward the group but Velvet came and took out her therion arm, grabbing the dragon's head and used her own strength to stop him from coming any further.

"Go on ahead!" Velvet grunted as she struggled to keep him at bay. "I'll catch up!"

"What about you? You can't fight that dragon alone!" Sorey exclaimed worried as he saw how much she was struggling.

"Just go already!" Velvet yelled and Sorey was taken back by the response. "Kurumi! Make sure he doesn't do anything stupid!"

 _"Roger! Come on, Lord Sorey!"_ The wolf seraph responded as she hurried after the others. Sorey hesitated before running after his friends to safety. Velvet took a glance behind her to watch Sorey leave before turning to Eizen once again.

"Snap out of it, Eizen!" Velvet yelled, trying to reach her former comrade. "It's me, Velvet!"

This, somehow, managed to reach him and he stopped struggling enough for the Nephilim to bash his head into the mountain hard. With how he responded when she told him her name, Velvet knew that the real Eizen was still struggling deep inside. Velvet quickly used the seraphic arte that Edna used before to make sure the dragon doesn't see her leave when he regain consciousness.

"I'm sorry, Eizen." Velvet said guilty. "We aren't ready yet to help you." She then ran down the mountain to join the others, glancing back one last time.

* * *

At the same time, Sorey and the rest were worried about Velvet and why she would sacrifice herself to give them some time to run away. Sorey stood up from the ground to catch his breath and looked at the pathway up the mountain, he was worried over what Velvet was doing with the dragon. Edna firmly tipped the end of her umbrella on the ground as it was silent except the panting from the three of them.

"Is there a school you go to to get that dumb?" Edna asked and Sorey looked at her confused. "You craved the fame of being a dragon slayer? Is that it?"

"Edna!" Lailah said happily and hugs the earth seraph. "I thought you really turned into a dragon. Thank goodness!"

"Well, you haven't changed." Edna replied annoyed. "People would respect you more if you actually worked on your personality." Lailah let go as they turned to face the boys and Kurumi.

"Actually, we came here looking for you." Mikleo answered.

"And so you marched into a dragon's territory?" Edna questioned. "You guys really did go to Dum-Dum Academy."

"Why you?" Mikleo growled.

 _"It is more like they trusted Lailah's old memories over facts."_ Kurumi pointed out.

"I'm sorry." Lailah apologized.

"You don't have to apologize, Lailah." The voice of Velvet said and the group turned to see Velvet walking over to them, which made them relieved that she was okay. "Next time you do this kind of thing, make sure you have actual evidence."

"Velvet!" Sorey and Mikleo exclaimed happy that she was okay.

 _"Milady, we were worried about you!"_ Kurumi explained as she hurried over to her mistress.

"I'm fine, Kurumi." The Nephilim replied to her partner. "I managed to get away in time without getting any injuries." The wolf sighed in relief before Velvet looked at Sorey with a smile, who returned it.

However, trying to convince Edna about helping humans wasn't that easy that the Shepherd had expected. Edna didn't like humans unlike her brother, who had bonded with a lot of humans and even got the attention of a famous pirate captain. She told the group about Eizen and the seraphim kept quiet about the method Velvet was planning to use to help her friend.

But Edna changed her mind when she saw the small grave for the person Zavied killed, agreeing on becoming a Sub-Lord like Mikleo and even had a Divine Artifact with her as well. Velvet figured it out that Eizen must have found it on his way back to his little sister. After the pact was made, the group decided to go back to the bridge.

"Arrgh, can you guys not practice your comedy routines inside my head?" Sorey exclaimed in annoyance to the seraphim inside him and Velvet giggled.

"That's how it is for a vessel." The therion pointed out. "I'm glad your body is finally used to the seraphim."

"Yeah, I'm glad, too." Sorey agreed with her as they finally left the mountain. "By the way, how come you knew about the assassins?"

"A misunderstanding." Velvet replied simply. "They got false information from someone that wanted me dead for some reason, I gave them a small beating and said that information was false and I was just a traveler, looking for someone."

"The Lord of Calamity?" The Shepherd asked sadly.

"Yes. He killed my family." Velvet said looking at the ground. "Even if he didn't do it, he's responsible to everything that happened. I promised my husband to not use my therion powers, he knew what they could do to living beings but the night he was killed..." Velvet started to have flashbacks of the start of the Age of Chaos. "...I lost control over myself."

 _"Milady..."_ Kurumi said sadly, knowing that talking about the subject usually let her malevolence out. _"Let us focus on our goal ahead."_ The two nodded and continued with getting to the bridge, though there were a few hellions still in the open, they were easy to handle. They eventually made it to the bridge and Sorey approached an old man standing in the small crowd of people.

"Lord Sorey! It is a pleasure to see you again." The old man greeted. "And it is a pleasure to meet you, Mrs Crowe."

"Likewise." Velvet replied.

"How are things looking?" Sorey asked.

"Well, there's still no telling when the bridge will be repaired." The old man answered, crossing his arms.

"All right. Then I'll make it so that the bridge can be fixed." Sorey replied with a smile, confusing the old man and shocked his comrades.

"What exactly does that entail?" The old man asked confused. "Forgive me, but I'm a bit confused, Lord Sorey." The young Shepherd was about to say something but Velvet placed a hand on his shoulder and shock her head as an answer. "In any case, I shall summon Lady Alisha. Please wait here a moment." The old man walked away and the seraphim came out when they got closer to the bridge.

"Wait a minute. You're going to do this right away?" Lailah asked worried.

"Yeah. I want to cheer them up as soon as possible." Sorey answered with a smile.

"But..." Lailah trailed off.

"Don't you know what humans will think about you, if you demonstrate power that transcends their simple understanding?" Edna asked serious.

"I do indeed." Sorey answered.

"Sorey. This is the reason why I don't use my therion powers in front of humans." Velvet explained. "When I use my arm, its true form is visible to them. I can't count how many times I've been called and treated as a monster under my lifetime. We don't want you to go through something like that." Sorey looked down the ground, processing what they were saying.

"It's your call." Mikleo said assuring. "I won't stop you."

 _"But think carefully about who stands to lose the most from what they're warning you about."_ Kurumi warned him and Sorey nodded in understanding before thinking to himself.

"Changed your mind, I take it?" Edna asked.

"Yeah." Sorey answered and Velvet smiled at his decision. "Better to do it late at night after everyone's gone to bed."

"...Kay." Edna replied.

"Fine by me." Lailah agreed.

 _"That's an excellent choice, Lord Sorey."_ Kurumi said in relief.

"Sorry, I know everyone was worried about me." Sorey apologized. "I probably just wasn't thinking."

"Just like going up a mountain which is rumored to have a dragon." Velvet pointed out simply and Sorey stiffed.

"You tend to take too much on by yourself." Mikleo said as he crossed his arms, a grin present from the comment Velvet made.

"Yeah, I'll watch out." Sorey replied to his childhood friend as Alisha and the old man arrived.

"Oh, Sorey, Velvet! You're back!" Alisha said happily.

"Hey!" The Shepherd greeted.

"Lord Sorey, what exactly is it you intend to do?" The old man asked.

"It is something we can't explain." Velvet answered, walking next to Sorey and Mikleo explained the situation to Alisha. "If we told you, you probably wouldn't believe it. Besides, the sun is setting as of now. It's better if we discuss this tomorrow when we have the energy."

"I have to agree." Alisha said, now knowing what is going on. "How about we handle this first thing tomorrow?"

"Ah. A fine idea!" The old man replied. "Very well." Sorey nodded in agreement.

"Then we'll see you tomorrow." Alisha said to the group before discussing something with the old man, who name was Neif as Velvet picked it up.

"Let's get to the inn." Velvet said and everyone agreed.

Everyone got back to the inn to wait but Velvet quickly walked away from the rest, not noticing that Edna was following her. Velvet was thinking about getting some practise in to her seraphic artes again before finally teaching Sorey how to use them, just like the way Zenrus taught her. The original Lord of Calamity stood in the same spot they were talking when Sorey was told about his duty as the Shepherd, looking at the ring on her middle finger before having an outstretched hand forwards the lake in front of her.

The ring glowed and butterflies swarmed around her, changing her clothes into the red version of Seres' clothing but left the glove over her left hand untouched. The butterflies flew gently away and one landed on an outstretched finger of Edna's, who took a good look at it. Velvet took a deep breath and thought about her training with Zenrus.

_"Remember, seraphim are connected to nature itself. Your powers allows you to access the earth pulses too, feel that energy and use it."_

_'...feel the energy and use it.'_ Velvet repeated in her mind and started casting her spells across the water, making glitter in the air as she casted them against each other in fast pace with her eyes closed before opening them again.

"I never thought the Lord of Calamity would walk away to practice seraphic artes on her own." Edna pointed out and Velvet smirked before turning to face the girl.

"We've never met before and yet you know who I am." Velvet said as Edna walked over to her while twirling her umbrella.

"Brother talked about you a lot in both his letters and in person." Edna explained while looking at the lake. "He also said that I won't be able to meet you even if someone found a way."

"Yeah, it was until twenty years ago. Now, I'm back, stronger than I ever was back then but I still don't know how this happened. I've become a Nephilim and now have to protect Sorey, the only person I really care about and a Shepherd at that."

"I imagined you would be irritated and angry about working with a Shepherd considering your history, not someone that would risk her life for someone like Sorey." Velvet just smiled at the comment.

"You sound like Eizen, that's understandable." The two look at the lake and listened to the small waves it made by the breeze. "People change, may it be good or bad as long as you have friends that support you." Edna looked down sadly and thought about her many questions in her head she wanted to ask.

"How close were you with Eizen?"

"I can't say I was close to him but he have saved my life a couple of times. I owe it to him that I'm not dead. Eizen was just a good friend to me and everyone else. I think I've found a way to bring him back." Edna was shocked at the statement and her eyes started to tear up.

"You can bring him back? But when a seraph becomes a dragon, there's no turning back which means you have to kill them in order to save them."

"I'm a therion, a being that feeds on malevolence but I also have the flames of purification as well. It isn't too late to save Eizen." Velvet turned to face Edna with a determined expression her face. "He responded to my name, Eizen is still fighting inside. All we have to do is to make sure Sorey and the others are strong enough to fight him, not even we were able to take down a dragon like that."

"So all we need is Sorey to be strong enough to handle himself against a Lord of Calamity and not necessary defeat him." Velvet nodded in correction and the earth seraph gave a small smile, knowing there is still hope for her brother.

"Well, hello there, ladies." Both of them sighed in annoyance as Zavied came with grin on his face. "Having a girls' talk?" Edna walked over to him and poked him with her umbrella. "Ow! What's that for?!"

"You ruined the moment." Edna answered simply and slightly annoyed.

"We were having it just fine before you came, Zavied." Velvet explained.

"Oh, come on, Velvet." Zavied said as he nudged the black haired maiden. "You look good in a dress, mind dressing up like that more often." Velvet snapped and kicked the wind seraph hard in the stomach as well slightly away from the two, Velvet brushed down her dress slightly in irritation.

"For your information, I may be wearing a dress but this is my seraphic form so I can focus easier." The Nephilim replied irritated as Zavied got back up. "As well I've already been married and have a child, besides you're not my type."

"Wait, you have a kid?!" Zavied exclaimed in shocked and Edna gasped slightly in surprise.

"Yes. Though he doesn't know." Velvet replied, looking back at the lake.

"Under this whole time and you never told any of us?!" Zavied yelled as Velvet changed back into her regular clothes.

Edna noticed sad and guilty look in her eyes and thought back on those times Velvet was by Sorey's side the whole time, helping him and seem to care about him a lot. She have even heard Velvet tell her partner to look after him when she was struggling against Eizen, Edna even noticed the looks the black haired maiden had when they walked to the inn. Everything made sense why she was so protective of the Shepherd.

"It's Sorey, isn't he?" Edna asked calmly and Velvet nodded slightly.

"Yeah, he is." Velvet answered.

"The offspring of the Lord of Calamity is the Shepherd, huh." Zavied said before looking serious. "That's why you interrupted our fight because he is your son."

"Sorey doesn't know what he is nor even who I was in the past..." Velvet explained and takes out her amulet to look at it. "His father died when he was just an infant to protect us. I don't want to think about how he'll react if he finds out."

* * *

At the same time, Sorey was in his room and lying on his bed, looking at the moon half of the amulet hanging from its chain. It has been with him since he was a baby, the only thing that could help him find his mother. Mikleo came in after he and Lailah looked for Edna and Velvet, eventually the two gave up when Kurumi explained that Velvet was probably practising on her own.

"Sorey." Mikleo called out, getting the Shepherd's attention. "How long will you be staring at that pendant?"

"Sorry. I was just thinking." Sorey answered, sitting up.

"You can tell me, you know." Mikleo pointed out as he sat down in the chair next to his friend. "I've known you since we were little. Whatever it is on your mind, you can tell me."

"Under the last few days, I've been feeling so comfortable around Velvet." Sorey explained unsure. "Like, her presence makes me more calm and make me think about my decisions a lot more carefully. I don't know. Do you think it's weird?"

"No, actually I don't. To be fair, Velvet makes me feel that way too at times but not as much though."

"Seriously! Here I thought I wasn't the only one." Mikleo twitched an eyebrow in irritation.

"For your information, I saw Velvet devour a hellion up close when she saved me from it."

"Oh."

"But I get it. Velvet has a big influence on you, I don't think it was a coincidence we ran into her back at the festival."

Sorey nodded in agreement before looking back the pendant in his hand. He had to admit, Velvet was someone he could trust even if they haven't known each other for that long but deep inside, he could sense something was familiar about her for some reason. Sorey could only assume it was his imagination.

* * *

When the clock struck midnight, the party immediately left the inn and was joined back with Alisha as they walked back to the bridge. When they arrived, Velvet and Alisha looked around the area before doing to Sorey as a sign that the coast is clear for him and the seraphim.

"Okay, here goes!" Sorey replied before turning to the bridge and activating his armatus with Edna. The color was now an orange and stone fists levitating over his arms.

Everyone waited patiently as Sorey looked at his fist before he struck one on the ground, a sound wave appeared appeared on the ground. Pillars of earth came out of the river right where the broken bridge is. Sorey deactivates the armatus and Edna joined them once again, the Shepherd turned to the Nephilim, who was smiling proudly at him for a job well done.

"My word!" The voice of Neif was heard and not soon after came the old man, everyone were nervous of how much he's seen. "I can scarcely believe what I'm seeing! So this is the Shepherd's power..."

"Mr. Neif, I can explain." Alisha said worried.

"This means Marlind is saved!" Neif exclaimed in relief and shocked the group a bit. "Oh, joyous day! Thank you! Oh thank you so much! Three cheers for the Shepherd!"

"Y-You don't have to thank me." Sorey replied embarrassed and had a hand on the back of his head.

"Lord Sorey, you intend to head out right away, don't you?" Neif asked. "In order to avoid prying eyes."

"Yes, we have get to Marlind as soon as possible." Velvet answered.

"I suspected as much. Then if you may, please escort Lady Alisha with you as well." Neif asked which confused the princess.

"Mr. Neif?" Alisha asked confused and the old man turned to her.

"Lady Alisha..." Neif started, "I know your position is a difficult one, but your duty in Marlind is all too crucial. Please go at once, and demonstrate your famed ability and sincerity!"

"So you knew..." Alisha said.

"I may be stuck here for now, but if you three are in Marlind..." Neif continued, "...Then I will know I can rest easy. Please attend your duties and leave the bridge to me."

"Understood." Sorey said in understanding.

"I'm sorry, Mr. Neif." Alisha apologized. "You have my thanks."

"I shall make sure the bridge is even better than before, milady!" Neif said determined.

 _"I'm glad that he wasn't in a panic state just know."_ Kurumi pointed out to her partner. _"Or else we would have more problems on our hands."_

"True enough." Velvet agreed, tighten her grip of her shoulder bag. "Let's just hope this continues whenever we don't notice prying eyes."

"Neif, might we take some medicine from you?" Sorey asked kindly.

"Can I ask such a thing after all you've done?" Neif questioned and Sorey nodded. "Thank you. I am in your debt once more." Neif gave Sorey a bag with the medicine before Sorey packs it in his pocket.

"I think we'll be off now." The young Shepherd told him. "Thanks for all your help, Neif."

"Poppycock. It is I who should be thanking you!" Neif disagreed.

"Let's go, Alisha." Sorey said to his teammate.

"Will I really be able to cross the river with you?" The princess knight asked worried.

"I don't see that would be a problem." Velvet answered. "If I've managed to cross terrain like this. As long it is just you then it should be fine."

"Mr. Neif, thank you for being so understanding." Alisha thanked the old man. "We shall meet again!" The group started to walk over to the bridge with Neif waving to them.

"Lord Sorey! Thank you so much! Lady Alisha, I leave matters in Marlind to your capable hands!" Neif said his goodbyes. "And Miss Crowe, please look after those two! I know they are in good hands if you're with them!"

Velvet smiled at the statement. Of course, these two are relatively new to this world she's been living in but she had a responsibility to look after her son. The three humans and wolf jumped over safely to the other side with the help of the stone pillars. Once they all made it over to the other side, they continued their journey forwards Marlind.


End file.
